Tangled Luck
by skywings1416
Summary: AU-Rapunzel is a good luck charm, but she's not lucky. Her aunt, Donna Gothel, has made her life miserable. One rainy day, Rapunzel seeks a split decision escape when she is literally knocked off her feet by a man named Eugene Fitzherbert. Soon, she's swept up by this man and she starts to see her luck change, but for better or worse? Rated M for cussing, violence, and sex. Revised
1. Chapter 1

_I've never been lucky. I bring good luck to others, but I've never had much luck myself. I decided I couldn't change my life, but, once you decide on something, God let's you know that he has another plan in store. At least, that's what I learned in the rain._

Chapter 1 – Changing Luck in the Rain

Rapunzel Moore looked glumly out the classroom window. The weather outside fit her mood perfectly. With every passing minute, the sky grew darker and darker over the city of New Sonnenburg. Every now and then, fissures of lighting struck out across the bottom of the ominous clouds and thunder sounded the coming storm. Rapunzel liked days like this, because even though the sun wasn't there, there was the promise that is was just beyond the clouds. When she was younger and happier, Rapunzel would pretend that she could brush the clouds away with a flick of her hand. But Rapunzel learned a long time ago that there's no such thing as magic or fairytales.

Rapunzel was named for her mother's favorite fairytale, The Brother Grimms' _Rapunzel._ Every night, her mother would read her that fairytale and many others. She believed in these stories since she was little, but then, her mother died and the fairytales stopped. She was seven when her mother died of cancer. It wasn't the slow sort of cancer either; she got sick very quickly; there was no time to prepare for loss. Her father was so stricken with grief that he killed himself just a few weeks after the funeral.

Rapunzel had no grandparents to go to, only an aunt on her mother's side, Donna Gothel.

Donna was spiteful she was landed with a kid and she resented Rapunzel for it. Donna was the sort of woman who lived young and wild; she stayed out late, was known to drink excessively, smoked and some nights didn't come home because she was out with men. When Rapunzel came to live with her, she didn't change her lifestyle much; she kept doing what she'd been doing and gave little concern to Rapunzel. At a very young age, Rapunzel had to learn to take care of herself. She did her own laundry, cooking, cleaning and she even learned to pay some of the bills her aunt would get, because Donna never paid them on time. Rapunzel even had to enroll herself in school and had to literally drag her aunt to parent teacher conferences.

Even though she despised her niece, Aunt Donna never hit Rapunzel. She couldn't take the risk. When Rapunzel was thirteen, Donna had gotten her into modeling to pay for herself.

"If you're going to live under my roof, fend for yourself." This really wasn't all that necessary; Rapunzel's parents had left behind enough money for all of Rapunzel's needs.

Rapunzel did the modeling without much complaint. She hated it, but it kept her aunt content, and that was better than the latter.

Donna kept up the front that she was a caring loving guardian, but she often left Rapunzel alone and when she was home, she would say mean and hateful things to her.

Sloppy, underdressed, gullible, naive, ditzy, vague, chubby, and immature were just a few of her aunt's more common insults. Rapunzel was used to these. Most of them were just anger talking, but then there were others that were completely spiteful: flat-chested, clumsy, grubby, and recently, there was a new one that her aunt would only spit out if she were drunk.

"You fucking dirty little whore. You'll spread your legs for any jack won't you? You're just a sack for guys to jack off. I won't look out for you when you come to me bare foot and pregnant. Fucking bitch."

This always hurt Rapunzel the most. She'd learned to stop crying a long time ago, but these words were the worst of all. They weren't true at all; Rapunzel had never slept with anyone. She was afraid to. She'd heard so many stories from girls in high school in the locker rooms, saying that their boyfriend was too rough and they made them do weird things. There was one story that went around about a girl who actually started bleeding down there during sex. Her boyfriend was charged with statutory rape (he was older than her; she was sixteen) and the school did a whole seminar on sex education, which only fueled Rapunzel's fear of sex. She vowed right then and there she would die a virgin and had so far, kept that vow.

She was in her first semester of college. It was spring term, (even though it was the middle of February) because her aunt hadn't let her start college right away because of out of town modeling jobs. She was taking mainly art classes, but some GED's too, and in the first few weeks she'd been able to stop the advances of the boys who thought she was cute. She was good at making up excuses as to why she couldn't hang out with anyone, but mainly, it was someone named Pascal helping her.

Cameron Green, or Pascal, as he preferred to be called was the tiny, somehow intimidating, best friend of Rapunzel. Pascal was very good at scaring people off, despite his lofty height of five foot three inches. Maybe it was his glare, maybe it was his threats, or maybe it was the fact he resembled a techni-color pin-cushion. Pascal had piercings everywhere possible and then some. Silver hoops ran the curve of both his ears and he had gauges big enough to fit a thumb through. Both of his eyebrows were pierced multiple times and a bar ran through the bridge of his nose. He needed glasses, but instead, opted to wear spiral colored prescription contacts. And if all that wasn't enough, every few weeks he'd dye his hair whatever color he was feeling like and then would wear t-shirts that matched the chosen color with a pair of studded, chained, safety pinned, baggy black pants.

Pascal hardly ever left Rapunzel's side, so he was always there to chase away unwanted attention. After a week or two of seeing him with her, people just assumed that Rapunzel was a punk too and it'd be better to not get involved.

Pascal actually wasn't a punk; he was genius. He got his nickname from being the only kid in his first grade class who could figure out how to do Pascal's triangle. He was a math whiz and was pretty good at science too. He was a fast reader and very good at memorization. He tested really high for the SATs and he'd even gotten offers from some of the best colleges in the country, but he decided to go to Kingdom County Community College, just so he could stay close to Rapunzel.

Pascal was a wonder with academia, but not with anything else. So, why he was in an art class seemed a little odd, but Pascal hardly ever did leave Rapunzel's side. That was one of the ways he could be irritating.

As Rapunzel was staring out the window at the angry clouds, Pascal was glaring at his canvas, paint dripping from his brush. He growled at his 'art'.

"Rapunzel," he moaned, "why doesn't this look right?" She tore her eyes away from the window to instead stare at Pascal's canvas. She narrowed her eyes at it.

"Well, for one thing, we're supposed to be experimenting with color and shades, but yours is sort of turning brown." Pascal had used every color and just slapped it on the canvas.

"What do you want from me, I'm color blind. And I'm also feeling funny. I hate rainy days like this." Rapunzel smiled sympathetically.

Besides his sense of fashion, Pascal had one odd trait that really made him different from anyone else; he was a bit of a psychic and his specialty was empathy readings. That meant that Pascal could tell how someone was feeling just by being near them. And that was the other thing that sometimes made him irritating.

Rapunzel could never hide from him if she was feeling upset about something; he always knew and he would bug her until she told him what was wrong. The only time when Pascal's readings weren't that good was when the air was charged with electricity. That was another reason why she liked storms; Pascal couldn't read her and that was always a nice break.

"You know, Pascal, if you don't feel well, just go home. You're obviously not going to get this picture done today."

"No way, I'm walking you home today." Rapunzel cocked an eyebrow at him.

"I know you're color blind, but if you looked in the mirror, even you could tell that your skin is paler."

"But I always ride the bus home with you and walk you home."

"I can get home fine by myself. Besides you're going to want to be home once it starts raining. You know what rain does to you." Pascal looked out the window and grimaced.

"Maybe you're right," he mumbled. He raised his hand and waited for the teacher to come over. Mr. Busby weaved his way through the tables, chairs, and easels to get to Rapunzel and Pascal. He first looked at Pascal, then at his painting and frowned.

"Mr. Green, I said to use color for this painting, but I didn't necessarily mean all of them."

"Yeah, I know, I'm a rule breaker. I was actually wondering if it would be alright if I left a little early. Weather like this makes me sick." Mr. Busby could tell that Pascal wasn't his usual sassy self. He nodded.

"Sure. Just come in sometime later this week to finish this… painting." As Pascal bent down to gather up his stuff, Mr. Busby stooped over Rapunzel's shoulder. "How are you doing Miss Moore?"

"I'm doing fine," she mumbled, blushing a bit. She pulled her brush away from the canvas and looked at it. She had painted the whole of it dark blue, mixing purples and black in with the paint to create a dark night sky. She was just starting in on adding paper lanterns when Mr. Busby had walked over. She knew what was going to come next.

"Oh, Miss Moore, this is fantastic. The soft colors against such a dark background. Are those lanterns?"

"Un-huh, like the ones they release in Thailand during their festivals. I was going to put arms on the bottom, to show they've been released."

"Ah, why am I not surprised you're also creating a story with your art? The lanterns are like hopes and dreams and they're being let out into the world. Good work." Mr. Busby patted Rapunzel on the shoulder and walked away. He didn't notice that she flinched.

Pascal stood up, his back pack slung over his shoulder.

"I'll see you later, Rapunzel. I think this storm is going to knock me out for tomorrow too. I don't think I'll see you till Monday. Uh… I hate rainy weather."

"Bye-bye, Pascal." Rapunzel waved to him as he staggered out. When he was gone, Rapunzel looked back out the window and sighed.

Rainy days were her favorite, because sometimes, she just wanted to be alone.

For the next hour and half of her lab class Rapunzel worked quietly, with only her thoughts to keep her company.

_Mr. Busby said the lanterns were like dreams and wishes. Is that what people think they are? It was just my idea for this assignment._

Rapunzel didn't like it when people thought all art was to have some meaning.

_It's not supposed to have a meaning. It's just art._

Soon class was over and Rapunzel put her picture in the back room where it could dry. It needed a few more layers of paint to get the right sense of depth, but she could work on that later. Rapunzel gathered up her stuff and headed out the door.

The art building was not connected to any other part of the college, so Rapunzel found herself running to the main building. It had started raining just as class got out and it had decided to rain buckets. Rapunzel wished she had watched the weather report that morning. She would have brought an umbrella. At least, though, the rain wasn't freezing. It was unusually warm for February, considering that 46 degrees was warm, even if March was just a few weeks away.

She got to the main building and shook out her coat. She frowned as she felt that the bottom of her jeans had gotten wet. She checked the time on her watch and decided she had enough time to buy a tea from the campus' coffee and tea bar. She had to wait in a line. It looked like a lot of people wanted something to warm them up. Rapunzel ordered a raspberry and hibiscus hips blend and a chocolate mocha muffin. After she got her drink and food, she made her way through the lobby to the circle drive where the bus came to pick up and drop off. Her bus was the 1:45 pm High Street. That was where her aunt told her to meet her after school. She had a new modeling gig for her.

Though rainy days didn't drain her like they did Pascal, she still didn't want to work. Lately, Rapunzel had been feeling like her life was getting too oppressive. Her aunt was drinking more, making her more aggressive. She was giving Rapunzel a hard time with everything. Rapunzel just wanted some time to herself. She wanted to get out, but she had nowhere to go.

The bus came and Rapunzel sat in the back, where she usually sat. It was a little odd at first to not have Pascal right beside her, but she didn't mind. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts.

From campus to High Street, Rapunzel sipped her tea and munched her muffin and thought about what her aunt had said to her the night before. It had started when Rapunzel told Donna she didn't want to do the job she was heading to.

"I had to stop my life and my career for you! Do you think it's been easy on me? I never wanted kids, especially a kid who isn't even mine. I don't care if you are my niece, you're not my own. You should thank me and repay me. I don't ask you to do much. It's perfectly reasonable what I ask you to do. I don't know why I keep you. You're eighteen. I should just kick your sorry ass out. Go pick one of your fucking boyfriends to live with. Honestly, I really should kick your whoring little ass out. Get my life back."

She didn't cry. She just sat there and took it. Eventually Rapunzel said she'd do the job, just to appease her aunt. She didn't want one of the neighbors calling the cops.

The words had swirled in her head all day and she was so glad that Pascal hadn't picked up her depressed mood.

Rapunzel wanted out so bad. She just wanted everything to end; the yelling, the hate, the hurt she felt whenever her aunt pointed out she was unwanted. But what could she do? Sure, she had a job, but her aunt controlled her money, even though she was eighteen. If she left, she wouldn't be able to support herself. She couldn't ask Pascal and his family to take her in; she didn't want to be a bother to anyone. She really had no way out.

The bus stopped.

"High Street," the driver said. A few people stood up, Rapunzel among them. She got off the bus and stepped onto the sidewalk. It was still raining. Rapunzel pulled her hood up. The bus closed its doors and drove away. Rapunzel looked at the address she had scribbled on her wrist that morning.

14785 High Street, in the Clarion building.

Rapunzel looked around, squinting through the rain. She saw it on the other side of the street. She walked up to the cross walk and waited for the light to change. She glanced at her watch. Two o'clock.

_Great, Aunt Donna wanted me there_ at_ two._

The light changed and she hurried across, but her shoe had filled with water. Through the _schlop, schlop,_ her shoe fell off in the middle of the road. She went back to get it.

Someone screamed. People pointed. Rapunzel looked up to see a car speeding down the street. Her light had gone out and the car wasn't stopping. It was going to hit her.

She didn't think to run. She didn't think at all. She just stood there in the pouring rain, holding her shoe.

_This is it_, she thought, _this is my way out._ Rapunzel closed her eyes and waited for her bad luck to finally do something good for her.

She didn't brace for the impact. She didn't do anything, but wonder. She wondered what she'd see when she died. White? Her parents? God? She didn't care, as long as she was free.

Rapunzel was struck, but not from the front. She was hit from the side. A great big, hard force knocked her off her feet. People screamed again. Her feet left the ground and she and the force went airborne. She fell against the cub of the road, her left elbow smacking into the bumper of a car. Rapunzel didn't bang her head. Something was protecting the back of her skull. She realized she was being held tightly; she couldn't move.

Rapunzel heard the sound of tires screeching on the wet pavement. She opened her eyes.

Someone was on top of her. Someone who had pushed her out of the way. Someone, who was a man, and he was lying on top of her. He was the one holding her, cradling her. He had just saved her life.

He moaned and pushed himself up a bit. Rapunzel heard a door slam shut and she saw a business looking man stalking towards the two.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" he shouted at them. The man who had saved Rapunzel from being hit stood up and rounded on the other man.

"What the hell do you think you were doing? She was in a cross walk."

"Her time ran out and I had a green light. I had right of way." The other man shoved Rapunzel's guy. He shoved back.

"Yeah? And you were also speeding. Do you know what hydroplaning is? And tell me something; would you have not speed down for a group of kids in a crosswalk if you had a green light?" The man shut up for a second. His eyes shifted to the crowd that had gathered.

"No," he mumbled. He glared back at the man who had saved Rapunzel. "Fuck off." He walked back to his car.

"Yeah, you fuck off too! Bastard." The man turned back to Rapunzel. He knelt down to her level. "Are you alright?"

Rapunzel was a little caught off guard. The guy was so….handsome! He looked to be in his mid-twenties. He had very thick eyebrows and incredibly dark brown eyes. His hair was much the same color. (Rapunzel wondered if it was that dark because of the rain.) He had really strong features; his nose was so straight and his cheeks were so defined. He had a scruffy beard on his chin, which only outlined his face even more.

"Are you alright," he asked again.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," Rapunzel said slowly.

"Good," he sighed with relief. "I was afraid I'd knocked you stupid." He stood up and offered a hand to Rapunzel. She took it, hesitantly. He pulled her up with little difficulty. Rapunzel was surprised by his strength. The movement was so sudden, that it jarred Rapunzel's other arm. She exclaimed in pain and released the man's hand to hold it.

"Oh, you are not fine if you just said 'ow'. Where does it hurt?"

"I'm fine, it's just my elbow."

"Here, let's get out of the rain." The man picked up his and Rapunzel's bags, which had fallen off, and ushered her onto the sidewalk. He looked back for his umbrella, but saw that it lay broken in the street.

"Damn it, I just bought that thing."

The man steered Rapunzel under the awning of a store's front window. He set their bags down.

"Let me look at your arm," he said gently. She reluctantly pulled her hand away. He stooped to look at it. He let out a low whistle. "Yeah, it's already swelling. It's got a nice bruise starting too. Well, nothing else for it. I'm taking you to the hospital."

"What? No, you don't need to do that. I'm fine."

"You are not fine. Your elbow could be fractured." As he pulled his hand away, Rapunzel saw that the back of it looked like the bad side of a deal between a piece of meat and a grinder. She thought she saw bone and tendons.

"Your hand!" She pointed at it. He looked down.

"Hm, will you look at that. Looks like both of us need to go to the hospital." Once again, the man picked up the two bags and put his uninjured hand on Rapunzel's shoulder. He led them back into the rain and hailed a taxi.

He opened the door for Rapunzel and she slid in, still not really sure what to make of the whole situation.

Some random guy had just saved her life, at risk to himself. Randomly!

He sat down next to her in the car.

"Saint Augustine's Hospital, please." The driver nodded his head. The taxi pulled into traffic. Rapunzel's hero pulled a handkerchief out of his back pocket and wrapped it around his hand, wincing a bit. Rapunzel felt so guilty. She was the reason he was hurt.

"You really don't need to see me to the hospital. I mean, don't you have some place to be?"

"Not really. I was just heading to work. My boss'll understand." He smiled at her.

Rapunzel twisted her head around and watched as her destination, 14785 High Street, Clarion building got further and further away.

_I'm going to be in trouble later._

"- rt."

"Huh?" The man had said something to Rapunzel. She turned back around and he was offering her his uninjured hand.

"I said my name is Eugene Fitzherbert." He was grinning at her. God, he had perfect teeth. Rapunzel took his hand, still dumbfounded. She shook it slowly.

"Rapunzel Moore."

"Gesundheit," he said.


	2. Chapter 2

_There are three kinds of luck: good, bad, and none at all. It's really up to the person to decide which one they've been dealt. I just assumed I always had bad luck._

Chapter 2 – A Cog in the Luck Machine

Eugene stood to the side, his hand bandaged, hiding the ten stitches he had just gotten. He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. He was just looking at Rapunzel. Not glaring or staring or even with a hint of mischievous thoughts. He was just looking at her. She was painfully aware of his presence, his piercing gaze. It was like his eyes could see right through her. She tried not squirm, but he just kept looking at her. His eyes stayed fixed on her, even when the doctor was showing Rapunzel the x-ray of her arm.

"As you can see right here," the doctor circled the elbow joint with a pen, "there is no damage to the humorous or the radius and ulna. So you just sprained your funny bone, but don't worry, you can still laugh." The doctor grinned at Rapunzel, but cleared his throat when he saw he got no reaction from her. "So, in a few weeks, your arm will be healed. Just keep it in the sling and don't bump it into anything. Ice it when you get home and keep it elevated if you can. The swelling will go down if you keep it above your heart." The doctor took the x-ray down and put it back in its envelope. "Come back in a week." He waved good bye as he left the examination room.

Rapunzel stayed sitting on the table, her eyes on the floor. Eugene was still watching her; she could tell.

He pushed himself away from the wall. Rapunzel heard the water still in his shoes as he walked over to her.

"Do you want me to take you home?" Rapunzel didn't look up at him.

"No, it's fine. I called my aunt."

"Your aunt? Not your parents?"

Before Rapunzel could explain that she lived with her aunt, the door slammed open and slammed shut in the same second. Speak of the devil, there was Aunt Donna.

Donna Gothel was a tall, well built buxom sort of woman. She worked hard to keep herself looking youthful. She'd gotten a face lift a few years ago and Botox just a few months earlier. With religious vigilance, she made sure she never had one gray hair. She always dyed her hair black, believing it was more elegant and sexy to have black hair and it hid the gray better.

She was wearing a lady's kaki trench coat over a red pencil dress, her heels being the same red. She held a dripping umbrella, her purse slung over the other arm. Rapunzel could tell she wasn't happy. Her mouth twitched, causing lines on her face that made it look like she had a terrible smell up her nose. Rapunzel was sure that the glower her aunt was giving her was going to burn off her flesh. Rapunzel wanted nothing more but to blend into the wall.

Eugene had jumped a bit when Donna burst in, but then he saw how hot she was. He looked her up and down, impressed by the shapely woman who had apparently just appeared like she knew Rapunzel was talking about her. He extended a hand towards her.

"Hi, I'm Euge-" Donna slapped his hand away and advanced on Rapunzel. She tried to back up on the examination table, but she had little place to go.

"So this is how you get out of the job I set up for you? You go and get yourself hit by a car?" Beer wafted off of Donna. Rapunzel wasn't that surprised that Aunt Donna had already knocked a few back. Rapunzel tried to keep her stomach from turning from the sickening stench. She kept her eyes on the ground.

"I didn't get hit, Aunt Donna," Rapunzel mumbled.

"No, because that would have made things easy. You wouldn't have ever bugged me again. Why didn't you just let yourself get hit, you God damn bitch. Save me a whole hell of a lot of trouble."

"Hey!" Eugene grabbed Donna's shoulder and spun her to face him. He didn't think she was hot anymore. "You had better stop talking to her like that."

"And just who the fuck are you?" Donna pushed Eugene's hand away.

"Eugene Fitzherbert and I'm the reason your niece is in here. I'm the one who pushed her out of the way and caused her to be injured. So if you want to yell at someone, yell at me." Donna's upper lip curled, causing her to bare her teeth at Eugene.

"You saved her life? Well, thanks. Now I have to pay that bitch's medical bills. You should have just let the car hit her. She's not worth anything." Eugene snapped. He grabbed the collar of Donna's coat and shoved her against the wall. The picture frames threatened to fall off the wall and bottles and jars rattled on the counter and in the cabinet. Rapunzel jumped; she didn't realize Eugene would act like that. Even though she'd just met him, he seemed more gentlemanly than that. Donna's face was alarmed, but she quickly changed it to a sneer.

"You take that back," Eugene growled at her. "You are not the sort of person who can tell the worth of someone else. You're niece could have died today and you're concerned about paying her medical bills."

"Get your fucking hands off me." Donna pried Eugene's fingers loose. She took a step back from him, glaring.

"I'll pay for her medical bills," Eugene said, stepping between Rapunzel and her aunt. Rapunzel jumped off the table and took Eugene's arm.

"No, it's fine. You don't have to do that."

"Oh, yes he can. He just said it was his fault. He can pay for it, as long as I don't have to. Now, come on Rapunzel. We're going back down town so you can do your job." Donna turned towards the door as she reached into her purse for cigarettes.

"No. She's not going anywhere with you." Donna turned her head slowly to look back at Eugene. He was still standing in front of Rapunzel, his arm extended to lengthen the barrier he made between her and Donna. Eugene was trying to keep his breathing even, but Rapunzel was sure she could hear his blood bubbling and boiling in his veins. Donna narrowed her eyes at him. She shifted them to glare at Rapunzel.

"Just who the hell is this guy? One of your fucking boyfriends? Well, fine, whatever. Go with him and whore it up, you little bitch." Aunt Donna opened the door and banged it shut, shaking the wall of the examination room. The two stood silent for a second or two. Eugene turned to Rapunzel.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Rapunzel said to him.

"Eh, I think I started it."

"You don't have to get yourself involved. I can take care of myself. My aunt just likes to… put on a show every now and then. She doesn't mean any of it," Rapunzel lied.

"I wouldn't call that a show, I'd call that an explosion. Is that what you live with at home?" Eugene jerked his thumb at the door. Rapunzel looked down at the floor.

"Not all the time…" Eugene could tell that Rapunzel didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"Well, what's done is done." He picked up Rapunzel's yellow coat and put it over her shoulders. He slipped his own blue leather coat on and took up their bags again. "Come on, Blondie. Let's get going."

"My name is Rapunzel."

"Yeah, I got that." Eugene grinned at her. She just rolled her eyes as Eugene opened the door for her. She glanced at his bandaged hand.

"I'm sorry again about all this. You really don't need to do anything for me."

"Hey, I got myself involved. Besides I want to help you. You sort of seem like you need it."

Rapunzel didn't say anything.

She followed Eugene out of the hospital. It had stopped raining hard and was now a light drizzle. They got on a bus that said its destination was Clairbourne Road.

"I live a block down from there. It's a cozy little apartment, but be warned. It might be a bit messy." Eugene winked at Rapunzel. She looked out the window and up at the sky. She had a sprained elbow. Her aunt was pissed at her. She was going home with a guy she'd just met that day. Her bad luck had only gotten worse. What she didn't tell herself though, was that things could be worse.


	3. Chapter 3

_No matter how careful I am, I always find myself in bad situations. I don't know if life just hates me, or if the universe is out to get me. I've more or less learned to accept the bad and expect no good. Sometimes, though, the universe will throw me a curve ball._

Chapter 3 – The Luck About Locked Doors

Eugene Fitzherbert lived above a book store called _Flynnigan's Tower of Books._ It looked like a quaint little second hand shop. As Rapunzel and Eugene got off the bus he pointed it out.

"See, it's just a block away on that corner. It won't take long to get there." The bus drove away and Eugene took Rapunzel's hand. She wanted to rip her fingers from him, but killed the urge. She didn't want to do anything rash around this man, for fear he might blow up again, even though she felt he really wouldn't do that.

As she and he approached the bookstore, Rapunzel saw that the store was having a 50% off entire stock sale. She also saw posters for new books and a sign that advertised an author's visit, but she didn't know the name.

The rain had stopped, but that was because the air had turned cold and the rain was now snowflakes. The wind blew fiercer. Rapunzel tugged at her coat.

"You've got to love wacky weather, eh, Blondie?" Rapunzel only shrugged.

The two walked by the store front and Rapunzel glanced in. A few people were inside. She saw a clock on the wall in the store. It read 4:45 pm. She hadn't realized they were at the hospital that long.

Eugene led her around the back of the store where there was a staircase that led up to the apartment. He gestured to the small parking lot behind the building.

"I usually park my car back here, but it's in the shop. Good thing too. If I'd had it today, I never would have been walking down that street to save you." Rapunzel didn't say anything. Eugene cleared his throat as they started up the stairs. "Uh, you don't need to be anywhere tomorrow, do you?"

"I don't have class on the weekends."

"Okay, good." Eugene pulled out a key and unlocked the door. He stepped aside for Rapunzel. She passed him and for some reason, held her breath. It was just something she did when she passed by too close to men.

The door only opened to a little room that had another door. There was a pile of shoes, a trash can, and a cylinder for umbrellas, but there were no umbrellas. Eugene stepped by Rapunzel and she forgot to hold her breath. He smelled like… wet leather, coffee, and also Old Spice shaving cream. Rapunzel felt her heart flutter. She put her hand over her chest, like that would stop it. Eugene unlocked the other door and again let Rapunzel go first. She again held her breath, but it did little. The whole apartment smelled like Old Spice and coffee.

_At least it doesn't smell like cigarettes and alcohol,_ Rapunzel thought to herself, thinking about her aunt's house.

It was messy, just like Eugene had warned. Clothes were strewn everywhere. Some were folded nicely while others were wrinkly and looked like they had just been stripped off right there. Paper littered both Eugene's coffee table and what must have been his kitchen table. A closed laptop sat on the kitchen table, as did empty glasses and a few bottles of drunk beer. Books were stacked in every possible corner and the shelves were stuffed full. Movie and video game posters still in plastic were taped to the wall: _Lord of the Rings, Princess Bride, Tron, Final Fantasy VII, X and XII, Guild Wars, Kingdom Heart, Goonies, How to Train Your Dragon _and_ Brave _were just a few of the titles Rapunzel saw. There were also anime posters, but none of the names stuck out to Rapunzel. Hanging in the dining area was a framed print of Vincent Van Gogh's _Starry Night._

On one of the shelves of a book case, Eugene had dedicated an entire section to movies. Rapunzel really didn't look at the titles, but she saw that it was mostly _Dreamworks_ and _Disney_. Some were even VHS. There was a TV right across from the couch with a DVD player and various game consoles. Rapunzel didn't know the name of a one of them.

Various figures and toys sat everywhere around the living room. Mostly anime and video game themed stuff, but there were just as many fantasy figurines. Plastic toys of dragons and knights fought out a battle against each other in a window sill, with a tower behind the dragons. Rapunzel saw a female shape in the tower. There were also models of planes and a model of the Hindenburg.

Mainly, it looked like nothing but clutter in Eugene's apartment. Stuff he didn't want to get rid of. But there was something that Rapunzel thought was a well planned effect. Sitting in the east and west windows of the living room were colored glass bottles. If it hadn't been cloudy and snowing outside, the sun would be shining in right then, staining the room like an artist's pallet. Rapunzel also saw a curious looking wind chime hanging just above one of the windows; it had a glass bowl at the top with a single stone tied on a string on the inside of the bowl. A piece of paper hung on the end of the string.

Rapunzel glanced around a few more times. She turned back to Eugene when he started speaking to her.

"Feel free to settle in. If crap is in your way just toss it aside. All the important stuff is put away." He took her coat and put it on a peg on the wall next to his. He turned up the thermostat a bit and gestured for Rapunzel to take a seat. She didn't sit down right away. She just stood there. She felt like she didn't belong. "You can have my bedroom tonight," Eugene continued. "I'll change the sheets for you." He ducked into a back room. Rapunzel glanced in around the door. Just as many clothes, books, and paper carpeted the floor. "If you're hungry, you can call one of the places on the fridge," Eugene called from inside the bedroom. Rapunzel saw him walk by with an arm full of junk that he tossed into a corner.

Rapunzel wandered into the kitchen and looked disdainfully at the pile of dishes in the sink. She looked at the refrigerator. It was covered in magnets of carry out places. Chinese, Korean, sushi, pizza, Italian, Mexican, even German. Rapunzel blanched at the thought of saurer kraut. Rapunzel didn't feel like eating any of the food. She didn't feel like eating much of anything.

"What do you feel like eating," she asked him.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"I asked you what you would prefer," Rapunzel said a bit louder.

"I don't know. You're my guest, so you decide.

"Well, that was helpful," Rapunzel mumbled to herself. She took one of the pizza magnets off. "Where's your phone," she asked.

"Coat. The password is a checkmark starting in the top left hand corner." Rapunzel found it after searching five of the eight pockets in Eugene's blue leather coat. It took her two times to get the combination right. When the screen popped up, she looked at it blankly. She had no idea how to work a smart-phone sort of thing.

"Uh, how do I get the numbers to come up?" Eugene came out of the bedroom and took the phone. He quickly moved a finger over the screen and handed it back to Rapunzel.

"Just dial." He turned to go back to the bedroom.

"Wait, what do you want?"

"Get what you like. I'll eat anything." He grinned and winked at her. Rapunzel suddenly felt highly uncomfortable. Eating _anything_ could mean something else.

She dialed the pizza place and ordered Canadian bacon, extra cheese, thick crust. When the guy on the other end asked where to drop the pizza off at, she had to ask Eugene. He came back out of the bedroom and took the phone again.

"Dude, it's me. Yeah. What, no? She's just spending the night. She's a friend that needed a place to stay. Yeah, see ya in twenty." He hung up. "Sorry, it didn't cross my mind that you don't know where I live."

"You order pizza a lot?"

"Sort of. I also had a part time job there. The guy you talked to has worked there since he and I were in high school. He's actually made assistant manager." He put the phone on the coffee table. Rapunzel walked into the kitchen and put the magnet back on the fridge. She sat down on the couch and cradled her arm.

"Does it hurt," Eugene asked.

"Uh… a little." Eugene smacked his forehead.

"The doctor said to ice it. Man, I hope I have ice in the freezer." Eugene went to the kitchen. Rapunzel heard him clunking and clinking around a bit. He then came back with a plastic baggy filled with ice wrapped in a dish cloth. He sat beside Rapunzel and gently pulled her hand away to put the ice pack on it. "You should only keep it on for twenty minutes. Otherwise the cold will start to irritate the injury and only make it worse."

"The doctor didn't say that."

"Don't question my medical expertise," Eugene over pronounced the consonants, like he was some professor giving a lector. "I've been injured a few times in the past." He winked again at Rapunzel. She looked at the floor. Eugene frowned at Rapunzel. He thought about what he could do to make Rapunzel feel better.

"Hey, Rapunzel, do you want to take a shower?"

"What?" She looked at him, face red. Did he mean _together_?

"To wash the chill off. You're clothes are still damp, aren't they? It'd be bad if you caught a cold on top of the sprain. I mean, you don't want to wind up having a bad week, do you?"

"Oh, yeah, sure, but, I don't have a change of clothes."

"Would you be fine to wear something of mine? I know I'm not exactly petite, but I'm sure I've got something that'll fit you. If you take a shower, I can wash and dry your clothes for you. My apartment's got both." Eugene looked eager for Rapunzel to accept, like a puppy waiting to be told it's time for a walk. Rapunzel nodded her head.

"Yeah, I'd be fine with that."

"Then let me go find something for you." He ducked back into his bed room. Rapunzel heard drawers open. She imagined Eugene looking for his smallest clothes. She then thought about what all he was doing for her. He was putting such a great effort towards making her comfortable. He came back with a gold colored t-shirt and a pair of blue plaid flannel drawstring pajama pants. "You can tie them up to fit your waist this way," he said as he handed her the clothes. "There's also a clean wash cloth and towel in there." Rapunzel took them and looked at the shirt, just so she could see how huge it was going to be on her. Instead she read what it said: Golden Flower Academy, physical education, Eugene Fitzherbert. Eugene Fitzherbert had been written in marker and the letters were just barely visible. Rapunzel balked.

"This is the best private high school in the city!"

"Mm, yeah. Terrible school lunches though. Nothing but healthy crap, never gave us sugar." He seemed so unconcerned. Rapunzel was in the apartment of someone who was either an elite in society or he got into the academy on his smarts.

"How did you get into this school? You either need money or a really high score."

"Uh, my parents enrolled me." He looked at Rapunzel like she was going crazy. She looked back at the shirt.

_Pascal tried to get into this school and he got put on a waiting list. How did this guy get in?_ Rapunzel decided that Eugene couldn't have possibly come from money, not with the way he lived, so he must've been highly intelligent. Rapunzel wondered if he could be smarter than Pascal.

"You gonna go take that shower?"

"Yeah." Rapunzel got up, leaving the ice pack behind.

"Oh, wait, let me wrap your bandage in plastic, just so it doesn't get wet." He went back into the kitchen and came back with Glad wrap and rubber bands. He helped Rapunzel take the sling off. He tossed it onto the coffee table. He stretched out the thin plastic and covered the bandage a few times. He then put the rubber bands on her arm to hold the plastic on. "There you go. Just leave your clothes outside the bathroom. There's a heater in there too. Just turn it on and the bathroom will warm right up. Feel free to use the comb sitting in there; you just might need to rinse the hair gel out of it. You can use the shampoo too. It's a generic scent, so you won't smell like a man." Rapunzel nodded her head, not really listening. She wandered into the bathroom and closed the door. She thanked God it locked.

Rapunzel set the clean clothes on the toilet seat and turned on the heater. She began to undress. She took off her blouse and removed her pants. She also took off her camisole. She unlocked the door and tossed the clothes out. She locked the door again. She then took her bra off and set it on top of the clothes. She looked at herself in the mirror and blushed a bit.

She was flat chested. Her aunt was right about that, but that was fine by Rapunzel. She wasn't looking for the attention of men. In fact, she didn't want any attention at all. She pulled her long blonde hair from behind her shoulders and hid her body with it.

Rapunzel slipped her panties off and turned on the faucet. She was not going to put on a pair of dirty underwear when she got out of the shower. She put a bit of soap in the crotch and rubbed the fabric together. She rinsed it, being thorough to get the soap out. She then wrung the underpants out and laid them in front of the heater. Hopefully, if she took a long enough shower, they would be dry enough to put back on.

She turned on the water and waited for it to get warm, turning the cold water tap a bit to get the right temperature. She liked hot baths, but not boiling. She took the wash cloth from the pile of clothes and set the towel aside. She stepped into the shower.

Rapunzel hadn't realized how chilly she actually was until the hot water hit her skin. Goosebumps popped up along her arms and back. She tried to put her whole body under the water to keep the draft off. Rapunzel wetted the wash cloth and looked for soap. It was on the side of the stall. She saw the shape of a dove on it.

_He uses _Dove_ soap?_ Rapunzel thought that Eugene didn't look like the kind of guy who cared about soft, healthy skin.

She held the bar of soap under the water for a bit, then put it in the wash cloth and filled it with the suds. She scrubbed her skin and thought about her situation again.

She was in the apartment of the random guy who had randomly decided to save her life. He had defended her from her aunt. He had offered to pay for her medical bills. He'd taken her home. He was washing her clothes for her. She was taking a shower in his apartment. And so far, he'd asked for absolutely nothing in return. Yet.

Eugene might have seemed like a nice guy, but he was still a guy. All guys wanted one thing and one thing only. There had to be a catch to this situation. He couldn't possibly be a genuine guy who just wanted to help her. There were very few men like that, and for Rapunzel to be randomly saved by one of those men was like a one in a trillion chance. Rapunzel was sure he was after something else and was sure it was her. He wanted her.

Rapunzel gripped her shoulders and leaned against the shower stall. She slid down the wall and shook, even with the warm water falling on her.

How could she have let herself get into this kind of situation? Why did she go home with this man? She would have been able to survive the wrath of her aunt. She'd done it so many times before. So why did she let herself be taken home by a complete stranger?

But he had such kind eyes. Even if they were piercing, his look was gentle, with just a hint of a joking glint. He was nice; Rapunzel could not deny that. He'd taken her to the hospital and had detoured her aunt's anger to himself. And he probably only took her home with him because he was worried of what her aunt would do to her. Rapunzel was not as good at judging people as Pascal was, but she really wanted to trust Eugene. But she knew she couldn't. He was a man and she had to keep her guard up.

Rapunzel washed her hair and rinsed herself off. She turned the water off and squeezed the excess water out of her hair. It had become so long and cumbersome, but her aunt wasn't letting her cut it. She stepped out of the shower. She quickly wrapped the towel around herself and sat down in front of the heater. She dropped her head down and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to get as much water out of it as possible.

She sat there for awhile, letting the heater evaporate the water. A space heater was as good as any blow dryer; Rapunzel was quite sure that Eugene probably didn't have one. She estimated it took about fifteen minutes to get her hair dry enough. She stood up and threw her clothes on. Her underwear was dry, but it was stiff. She figured it'd work itself out with enough movement. She wished she could have washed her bra, but bras were particular. Eugene's clothes were warm and worn to be extremely soft, but they were much too big. The pants covered her feet by three inches and the shirt hung on her like a blanket. She took the towel and rubbed her hair with it, getting the last of the water out. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed.

She'd never pictured herself wearing the clothes of a man because she was sleeping over at his house. It made her feel like a floozy.

She opened the door.

Eugene was sitting on the couch, eating a piece of pizza. He looked up when Rapunzel came out.

"Oh, hey, I was beginning to wonder if you drowned in there or something."

"Sorry, my long hair causes me to take really long showers."

"Understandable." He gestured to the pizza on the coffee table. "Pizza came." Rapunzel nodded. She stood in the middle of the living room, not moving. "Uh…I think I'm going to take a shower too. Help yourself to the food and whatever's in the fridge. There's beer."

"I'm underage."

"And obviously honest." Eugene stood up. "Uh, do you want me to help you get the sling back on?"

"No. I can put it back on myself." Eugene nodded. He walked towards his bedroom. He stopped, turned around and grabbed the blanket off the couch. He threw it over Rapunzel.

"Sorry it's not a Snuggy, but you look cold." He tousled her hair and went into his bedroom. He came out a few seconds later with his own change of clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. A few minutes later she heard the water turn on

Rapunzel took the plastic wrap off and put her sling back on. She took the bag of ice and noticed quite a bit of it had melted. It was still cold though. She put it in the sling and fixed it to cradle her elbow. She looked around the apartment again as she pulled the blanket close. It was such a mess.

Rapunzel picked up a slice of pizza and nibbled at it as she inspected a line of picture frames and a trophy Eugene had setting on a table on the far side of the living room. As she approached she noticed an award hanging on the wall. It said: _The Wordsmith's Society of New Sonnenburg awards this certificate to Eugene Fitzherbert, for his outstanding poem _Lights_. _The piece of paper had a fancy gold seal on it for the Wordsmith's Society.

_Maybe he is smart and that's how he got into Golden Flower Academy._ Even though Rapunzel thought this, she had a hard time picturing Eugene writing a poem. Then again, he did have a lot of books sitting around, so, maybe.

Rapunzel leaned down to look at the trophy. It was for cross country track and field. It said: Eugene Fitzherbert, 1st place for the mile run, six minutes, twenty seconds. That was fast. Rapunzel looked down at the picture frames. They were of Eugene from what looked like the age of fourteen or thirteen to present. The far left picture was of him in a ridiculous fishing get up with a large man with a brown and gray beard and a kind smile. Eugene held up a large fish. The picture next to it had the same man next to Eugene and also a very beautiful woman with brown hair and green eyes. The three were dressed very nice. The two adults had their hands on Eugene's shoulders. He had a big smile on and the adults were just as happy. In the next two, Eugene was with the same people. In one he was holding his track trophy. The other was of Eugene holding the poetry award, but he looked older in that picture.

_Maybe those people are his grandfather and mother?_ They didn't look all that related, but that's who they must have been. The two older people couldn't possibly be married. It looked like they had too many years between them.

The next two pictures, Eugene was older. In one, he was standing next to a fat, bald man with bad teeth and a thin mustache that was a borderline fumanchu. The fat man was at the piano and Eugene was giving the camera a thumbs up. The one next to it he had an extremely large man next to Eugene. He was at least a foot or two taller than Eugene. They were standing behind the counter of a bar. Eugene was cleaning out a mug.

_I wonder who those two are. And why are they so _large?

After the two pictures of the other men, Eugene was posing with a good looking young man who looked his age. He was a tall, lean, clean shaven blonde who stood proudly in a policemen's uniform. Eugene was giving the camera another thumbs up.

The last picture, Eugene was with the handsome blonde man and an incredibly ugly man. He had a large nose and buck teeth. His eyes were set too far apart and it looked like he had a goiter and his complexion was terrible. All three men were smiling, like someone had just told a joke. They were all wearing tuxes and had champagne glasses in their hands.

_Someone's wedding?_

Rapunzel left the pictures and wandered over to Eugene's books. She read just a few of the titles: _The Complete Works of the Brothers Grimm, Complete Works of Hans Christian Anderson, A Collection of Japanese Folk Tales, Tales from Russia, Myths from Around the World, A Complete Guide to Knowing Ninjas, Illustrated Western Swords Through Time, _a book on mythical creatures, a completed series of _A Series of Unfortunate Events_, a lot of thin picture books by someone named Bill Peete, _Stravaganza_ and numerous other children's series and even a bit of manga.

_Why does he have so many children's books? Does he have secret kids?_ Rapunzel lingered on the books a little longer then made her way back to the couch. She sat down on the it and curled up by the armrest. She finished her pizza. He eyes drooped a little. She looked out the window and saw that the snow was falling harder.

Rapunzel heard the water shut off. She waited for Eugene to come out. He did in a few minutes.

As he left the bathroom, a cloud of steam followed him out. His pajama bottoms hung loosely over his hips and he wasn't wearing a shirt. He had a towel over his head and he dried his hair with it. He looked at Rapunzel from under the towel.

Rapunzel's heart beat fast. Her body trembled. She became highly aware of her breathing. She was too loud. Too loud. Her blood rushed too quickly. Her heart pounded too rapidly. Her breathing was too shallow. Why did she feel this way? Butterflies worked their way up from her stomach and into her throat. She kept her mouth closed, for fear they'd fly out.

She couldn't help but look at Eugene. He had a very well toned body. Very lean. It would be the ideal body for a model to paint. But as she looked at him, Rapunzel realized that his chest wasn't perfect. It had flaws; thin, white flaws that looked like…knife cuts. They were all over his torso and some were even on his arms, his well defined, muscular arms.

Eugene looked across the room at Rapunzel. Her face was white and her eyes were wide. He wasn't dumb. He put two and two together.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I forgot to grab a shirt." He went into his bedroom. As he turned around, Rapunzel saw even more little white scars, longer and more noticeable, on his back. He came back fully clothed. He headed into the kitchen.

"You didn't get yourself anything to drink?"

"No," Rapunzel said quietly.

"Do you want anything?"

"Do you have juice?"

"Do you like orange juice?"

"That's fine." Eugene poured a glass and handed it to her. He got a beer for himself. He popped it open and took a drink. Rapunzel only stared at her drink. Eugene looked sideways at her.

"You want to watch a movie?"

"I don't care."

"No suggestions?"

"No," Rapunzel said.

"You sure? I've got some bad movies. Bad like Nick Cage bad."

"I don't care."

"So you don't care if I put in _Conair_?"

"No." Eugene rolled his eyes. He felt stupid now for coming out of the bathroom without a shirt on. He'd obviously terrified her. Somehow. He got up and grabbed a DVD off his book shelf. He squatted down in front of the TV and turned the DVD player on. He opened the box and put the disk in the machine.

As Eugene came back to sit by Rapunzel, she couldn't help but look him up and down, remembering exactly where every scar was. How did he get them? Who gave them to him? Were they scars from shrapnel? Was he in an accident? Rapunzel couldn't possibly ask him.

Eugene used the remote to turn on the screen.

The startup menu was for _The Princess Bride_.

"I thought you said you were going to put in _Conair_."

"Just checking to see if you were listening. Besides, I thought you might like this better." Rapunzel didn't tell him she didn't like fairytale themed anything.

He hit play and the opening credits started.

Rapunzel sat through the movie, not enjoying it at all. Buttercup was an idiot. Wesley was a cocky ass. Inigo Montoya wasn't too bright either. Andre was hard to understand. The movie was too cheesy for her liking. Her eyes kept lingering to the window to look at the falling snow. When the movie reached the wedding scene, the snow stopped. Rapunzel was reduced to finish watching the movie.

Eugene unconsciously moved close to Rapunzel. She jumped back, hitting the end table by her and knocking her glass of juice over. Eugene ran to the kitchen to get a paper towel.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

"It's okay, Blondie, accidents happen." Eugene cleaned the mess up and tossed the used paper towel away. He sat back down next to her. The four characters were riding away on white horses. Eugene leaned in close to Rapunzel again. She leapt out of her seat. Eugene turned his head towards her, frowning.

"Are you afraid of me," he asked flatly. Rapunzel was shocked by the direct question. Eugene took her silence as a yes. He sighed. "I'm sorry. I can take you home if you really want me to."

"What? No, it's fine."

"No, it's not fine. You jump ten feet every time I brush against you or even sit five feet from you. Did I do something to make you uneasy?"

"Uh…." Rapunzel bit her lip. "No, I've just never been in a guy's place before…alone."

"Do you think I'm going to do something to you," Eugene asked seriously. Rapunzel didn't answer. Her eyes traveled their usual glance to the floor. She bit her lip again. Eugene's face softened. "If you don't want to go home, what can I do to make you not feel so anxious?" Rapunzel thought.

"Can I lock your bedroom door?"

"Yeah, but you have to put a chair under the doorknob. Here, I'll show you." Eugene got up and motioned for Rapunzel to follow. She left the blanket behind.

In the bedroom, Eugene closed the door and pulled a chair up that was sitting in a corner. He stuck it under the handle.

"The door won't open with this there. But you really don't need this. I won't do anything to you." He sounded so sincere. Rapunzel wanted to believe him.

"I'm sorry. I just…don't trust people easily."

"Hey, I understand. Everybody has things they've got to deal with." Eugene took the chair away from the door and left the room. "Put the chair under the doorknob." He closed the door and Rapunzel did as she was told. Form the other side, Eugene rattled the door. "See, won't even budge."

"Thank you, Eugene."

"You're welcome, Rapunzel. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." She heard Eugene walk away from the door. She turned towards the bed. She slowly sat down on it. She stirred up the scent of his laundry detergent. It was some sort of floral. Rapunzel wasn't sure. She realized she was tired. She pulled the covers back and settled in, wondering if she could even fall asleep in a stranger's bed. Well, she somehow did, but she had bad dreams. At least, that was her impression when she woke up the next morning.


	4. Chapter 4

_I hate coincidences. It makes me think the universe has me on puppet strings. And I'd be surprised if the universe didn't._

Chapter 4 – Chance Encounter of Luck

"He seriously didn't do anything to you?"

"No. He was really nice and went out of his way to make me comfortable. And the next morning he saw me home."

It was Monday and Rapunzel was forced to tell Pascal everything that had happened Friday. She couldn't very easily hide her injured arm and it wasn't raining anymore. Pascal was up and running again and he had picked up that something different had happened to Rapunzel.

Pascal frowned when Rapunzel finished the story.

"I don't trust him. You shouldn't either."

"I don't trust him. All I'm saying is that he was nice. But you don't have to worry. I'll probably never see him again."

"Yeah, you're probably right about that."

"I'd be really surprised if I did. Oh, another thing about him, he had a P.E. shirt with his name on it from Golden Flower Academy."

"What?" Pascal turned to Rapunzel, disbelief on his face. "Is he rich?"

"He didn't seem like it. If he is, or, if his parents are, I think he'd be living better than he is now. You should have seen the place, Pascal. There was paper and clutter everywhere. It was a fairly large apartment, but his stuff made it feel so small. I can't imagine how he manages to live there."

Rapunzel and Pascal entered the college's commons. They stepped into a food line. Rapunzel got a box of chicken tenders while Pascal got the buffet's general plate of fruit and vegetables. They left the lunch line and sat at a booth.

"I don't know how you can eat meat like that, Rapunzel," Pascal said, sticking his tongue out at her chicken tenders.

"Humans are genetically built to consume and digest meat. It's perfectly natural."

"This is perfectly natural." Pascal pointed his spork at his food. Rapunzel rolled her eyes. "But you know something, Rapunzel, you do seem just a bit brighter after this weekend. As much as I hate to say it, that guy might have had a positive effect on you."

"Oh, come on, Pascal. You really think that a chance encounter with some random guy has magically made my aura pink?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it random. He did save your life."

"What is this? First you tell me not to trust him, now you're saying he's the best thing that's happened to me? Him being on the street corner was pure coincidence."

"There are no coincidences, only Hitzusen." Rapunzel gave Pascal a funny look.

"What's that from?"

"xxxHolic. By Clamp. It's a manga/anime."

"Oh." Rapunzel took another bite of her chicken. Pascal was always making references to things Rapunzel didn't know. She thought he just liked explaining things.

Pascal had dyed his hair again over the weekend. The last time Rapunzel saw him, it was a lime green. Now, it was purple and the weird octopus creature on his white t-shirt matched the color.

"By the way, Pascal," Rapunzel pointed at Pascal's shirt. "What is that thing?" He looked down at his chest.

"It's a squiddle."

"A what?"

"A squiddle. It's from that webcomic I read."

"Oh. Homestar Runner?"

"No, close, Homestuck. Homestar Runner was a site of stupid flash made videos."

"Okay."

"You should read Homestuck."

"But you said it steals your soul."

"It does, but it's awesome."

"You know I don't have internet at home."

"Come over to my house and read it."

"I'm too busy."

"Wow, Blondie, sounds like you make up a lot of excuses." Rapunzel's heart skipped a beat. She looked up and blinked. There was Eugene Fitzherbert, wearing the same blue leather coat she'd met him in and the same messenger bag slung across his body.

"Eugene."

"The one and only." He grinned, spreading his arms like he was waiting for a crowd to scream his name. "How are you? Your arm feeling alright?"

"It's fine."

"Who are you?" Pascal got up and pointed his spork at Eugene, narrowing his eyes.

"Pascal, sit, this is the guy I was just telling you about." Pascal looked back at Rapunzel then at Eugene. Eugene flicked his hand at Pascal, like he was brushing dust off his arm. "What are you doing here," Rapunzel asked, turning her attention to Eugene.

"I take classes here."

"What?"

"Yeah, you didn't think I was stalking you, did you?"

"No…"

"Good, don't want you to know that I am." Rapunzel wasn't sure if Eugene was joking. Apparently, neither did Pascal. He stood up again, his spork just inches from Eugene's face.

"You stay away from her," he warned. Eugene pushed the plastic eating utensil away from his nose.

"Pascal!" Rapunzel tried to pull him away from Eugene.

"Chill out, pin cushion. It was just a joke. I didn't even know Rapunzel went here. Just who is this guy, Blondie," Eugene asked Rapunzel as Pascal sat down again.

"He's my friend and self proclaimed body guard." Pascal glared up Eugene.

"Oh, I have a few of those."

"You have friends," Pascal asked snidely.

"Pascal!"

"Hey, he's actually funny. No, I meant self proclaimed body guards. Actually, here comes one now." Rapunzel turned her head in the direction Eugene was pointing. Walking down a row of tables was a tall, lean man with blonde hair. Rapunzel realized it was the man who was dressed as a cop in one of Eugene's photos. "He also likes to think of himself as my parole officer. Hey, Max!" Eugene waved his friend over.

"Hi, Eugene." The man came up beside him. He had a backpack hanging off one arm and he wore a N.S.P.D windbreaker. "Who're your friends?" As the man talked, Rapunzel saw that he had big teeth that made him look a little horsey.

"She's the girl I was telling you about, Rapunzel Moore. And that's her friend, Pascal. He's trouble, by the way," Eugene said, gesturing to Pascal.

"I can introduce myself," Pascal snapped at Eugene. Rapunzel glared at him.

"Oh, you're Rapunzel. Good to see you're okay." Max extended a hand towards her, showing off his large, buck teeth in a big, toothy smile. Rapunzel took it, noticing how nice of nails Max had for a guy. He had a strong handshake, but he seemed friendly. "Is that really your name, Rapunzel, like the fairytale?"

"Yes," she said, her cheeks flaring red. She hated it when people asked her that.

"It's cute," Max said. "It goes with the long blonde hair." Rapunzel blushed again. She wanted to get the conversation off herself.

"Uh, I saw a picture of you in Eugene's apartment. You were dressed like a police officer."

"Yeah, I just graduated from the academy last spring. I'm trying to work my way up to detective as fast as I can. I'm taking some classes here that'll help." Eugene put an arm around Max's shoulders.

"He's a very ambitious sort of guy. Do gooding, goody two shoes too. Yep, you won't find anyone more straight and narrow than Maximus Mustain."

"Alright, Eugene they get the point."

"Detective," Pascal said slowly. "That's a hard job to get."

"I suppose," agreed Max.

"You gotta be pretty smart to pass the detective test, but not just smart, you need to know human habits and have a good eye for detail." Rapunzel wanted to kick Pascal. Couldn't he stop being over protective for five minutes?

"Oh, I'm not too worried about that. I'm a pretty observant guy. Plus, I was in the top twenty percent at Golden Flower Academy in my graduating year."

Another one.

Pascal's eyes got so wide, Rapunzel was sure his contacts would fall out.

"Course, Eugene over here, once he applied himself, was in the top fifteen percent. Did he tell you he went to the Academy," Max asked Rapunzel.

_My God, he might _be_ smarter than Pascal_, Rapunzel thought. She glanced over at him, worried at how he would react.

"That so, Eugene," Pascal asked coolly.

_Uh-oh._ Pascal didn't like it when he met people smarter than him.

Eugene shrugged.

"I had time to study. I only had one extracurricular activity and it was only in the fall and spring." Pascal narrowed his eyes.

"Hm, care to answer a few questions for me," he asked. Eugene raised an eyebrow.

"Sure, I guess." Eugene took a chair from another table and sat down. Max did the same thing.

"What did President Kennedy say when he visited West Berlin?"

"What?" Eugene was a little put off by Pascal's question.

"Answer it." Eugene looked across the table at Rapunzel. His eyes asked, _is this guy for real_? Rapunzel nodded. He sighed.

"Ich bin ein Berliner,' which he thought meant 'I am a citizen of Berlin', but he really said 'I am a jelly donut', because in Germany, a Berliner is a deep fried donut filled with fruit jelly, covered in powdered sugar. Luckily for him, the assembled crowd didn't hold it against him." Pascal pursed his lips.

"Which American poet believed simplicity was what life was about?"

"Thoreau."

"Why doesn't a barn owl's wings make a sound?"

"They have barbs on their fathers that muffle noise." Pascal knitted his eyebrows together.

"Who wrote this? 'Because I could not stop for death, he kindly stopped for me."

"Emily Dickenson."

"Where did mimes originate from?"

"Mimes? Rome. Rome was a multi-language empire and people wanted a form of performing art that everyone could understand." Pascal's mouth hung open a little.

"What's the capital of Iceland?"

"If you watch Craig Ferguson, you'd know it's Reykjavik." Pascal bit his lip.

"What is 3,647 divided by 0?"

"Trick question, you can't divide by zero."

"Who did the producers and directors of Lord of the Rings want originally for the role of Gandalf?"

"Sean Connery." Pascal narrowed his eyes.

"Explain Homestuck."

"Pre scratch or post scratch?"

"Never mind." Pascal turned back to his food. Rapunzel smiled a bit behind her hand.

"Wow, that was some interrogation, Pascal," Max said. "You taking the detective test too?"

"I make it my business to know who associates themselves with Rapunzel." Pascal ate the last of his food and stood up. "Come on, Rapunzel, it's almost time for class. Me and you need to get going."

"You and I." Pascal turned his head towards Eugene. "The proper grammar is you and I. You always put yourself last." Eugene grinned. It took everything in Pascal to control himself.

"Come on, Rapunzel! We're leaving!" Pascal stormed off to throw his trash away. He then stood to the side and waited for Rapunzel.

Rapunzel looked at the clock. They still had thirty minutes. Still, she picked up her things. Eugene and Max moved their seats so she could get out.

"I'm sorry about, Pascal. He's just over protective."

"Nah, it's fine. I did sort of push his buttons."

"That's a bad habit of his," Max said to Rapunzel.

"I sort of noticed. Nice seeing you again, Eugene. And nice meeting you, Max."

"Nice meeting you, Rapunzel." Max offered his hand again. Rapunzel shook it.

"Good-bye, Eugene."

"Bye, Blonide. Oh, wait, I meant to give you this before I left you at your place Saturday." Eugene reached into his coat pocket. He pulled out a piece of paper. "It's my number, case you want to get in touch about the medical bills."

"Oh, right. Okay."

"Or, if you just want to…talk." Rapunzel looked up at Eugene. He had a soft smile on his lips.

"Right, okay. I'll put your number in my phone."

"Really?"

"I promise. Bye."

"Good-bye, Blondie."

"Her name his Rapunzel," Pascal said as he came to steer Rapunzel away from the other two. He apparently had become impatient. He turned Rapunzel away from them, then put two of his fingers in front of his eyes and pointed them at Eugene, glaring the whole time. He repeated the motion once more before he disappeared up the stairs with Rapunzel.

"Strange guy," Max said.

"Yeah, looked like a frog to me."

"I'd say more like a chameleon."

"Nuance," Eugene said flatly.

"Cute girl, though."

"Jack off." Max laughed.

"What, you got a claim on her?"

"Oh, come on, man, don't say it like that. You said she's cute. I'd like to make a play for her, but she's sort of jumpy." Eugene looked like he was going to say something else, but stopped himself. He hadn't mentioned to his cop friend why exactly he took Rapunzel home. He didn't want to cause problems for her.

"I noticed that. Do you think she was abused at some point in her life?"

_I keep forgetting how sharp this guy is…_

"Maybe, she doesn't trust easily. She's probably known that pin cushion chameleon friend for awhile to be comfortable around him."

"I really can't believe her name is actually Rapunzel."

"I know. She doesn't like Blondie, but it's easier to say. It's dyed though." Max looked at Eugene in disbelief.

"You can tell that?"

"Hey, Mom was a hair stylist."

"Right." Max, hit Eugene's arm. "Come on, let's get something to eat. I've been craving an apple since this morning."

"You always want apples. Why don't you act like a real copper and crave a donut once in awhile?"

"No way, too much fat."

"Ich bin ein Berliner." The two friends laughed and got in line for lunch. As Max contemplated getting a veggieburger to go with his apple, Eugene couldn't help but contemplate Rapunzel.

Rapunzel like the fairytale. Eugene wondered what sort of tower Rapunzel lived in exactly and if he could get her out of it.


	5. Chapter 5

_I've heard it said that if you randomly encounter someone three times on three separate occasions by sheer chance alone, you're destined to know that person forever. It always seemed silly to me._

Chapter 5 – Encountering Luck Again

Rapunzel's arm was healed, but it was stiff. The doctor had given her simple exercises to do to strengthen the muscles again, but she was finding she had little time to remember to do them. Her aunt had booked her solid all week with shoots.

"I do not want to hear any complaining. I gave you a whole week off. That should be plenty of time for your little sprain to heal," said Donna on Sunday as Rapunzel was serving dinner. "You have yourself to pay for and if you want to keep going to that college, you need money for that too. A stupid little injury like a sprain never put me off the job." Her arm still stung a little, but Rapunzel didn't mind the pain. It reminded her of Eugene.

Rapunzel last saw Eugene at school, when Pascal had interrogated him. It had been nine days since she saw him. She wanted to see him again. And that one thought was driving her crazy!

"Why? Why do I keep thinking about him?" Rapunzel kept asking herself this with everything she did: cooking, cleaning, homework. She even found herself doodling his face on her math notes, so when she went home and did her homework, there he was.

She actually had put his number in her phone like she promised; Rapunzel always kept her promises, but she hadn't yet worked up the gumption to dial or even text Eugene. What would he think? What would he say? What would _she_ say? She thought about nonchalantly asking him to model for her, for school purposes of course, but how do you nonchalantly ask someone to model for you?

Rapunzel simply couldn't get him out of her head. She'd never met anyone like him before; a real hero/prince charming type. But Rapunzel could absolutely not, under any circumstances get involved with anyone, not matter how nice, charming, and/or handsome they were. There were too many risks.

She kept telling herself that she should just forget about Eugene Fitzherbert. After he paid for her medical bills, she'd never see him again. He'd probably move on to the next girl he pushed out of harm's way. He'd forget about her too.

Right?

Rapunzel hoped he wouldn't.

"Stop it, stop it, stop it," Rapunzel told herself as she walked down the streets of downtown New Sonnenberg. "He's a guy and you know how all guys are. Eventually, he'll want you. Remember your chastity, Rapunzel. Honor your vow!" It was Wednesday. Rapunzel only had one class that day; the rest of her day was for a photo shoot.

She actually didn't need to be there till one o'clock. It was a little before noon. She was dragging her feet getting there, window shopping at the new, pop up hipster boutiques. She popped into a coffee shop and bought a white peach tea. It was incredibly flavorless, but she needed something to warm her up that wouldn't stain her teeth before the shoot. That was all she needed to hear from her aunt.

All the snow from last Friday's storm had managed to melt, but a system had moved down from the north and New Sonnenburg felt like the polar ice caps.

Donna had forced her niece to wear a skirt with boots and a thin, trendy coat, allowing only a gauzy scarf and fingerless gloves to keep her warm. Her excuse was that Rapunzel needed to dress like a model right before her picture was taken. After Rapunzel had left the house, she'd taken all her hair and stuffed it into her coat, just so she could have some insulation. It actually worked fairly well. At least she fit in at the coffee joint with her clothes. No one gave her a half way glance.

She would have liked to have stayed in the coffee house, where it was warm, but she couldn't stand the music they were playing. When she asked the cashier what it was he said:

"Indian throat singing." She left as soon as her tea was in her hands.

Back out in the cold, Rapunzel wondered where she could stay until the 12:45 bus came. She decided to head to the bus stop and see what was around. Maybe she could hang out in a clothing store for awhile. It'd please her aunt if she showed up with a bag from an expensive clothing store.

At the bus stop, there was Killer Sewing and Craft Supplies, Guntur's Interior Design, a convenience store, a liquor store, and a musical instrument store called Music's Dream. Rapunzel also saw the Corona Enterprises' skyscraper just up the street.

Corona Enterprises was New Sonnenburg's largest company. They brought in a lot of income for the city and offered many jobs. They owned a little bit of everything: cars, household appliances, a fashion line, cosmetics, real estate, travel. You name it, they did it. The company also funded many charities and organizations in the city and around the world: orphanages, preserving wildlife and the environment, safe houses, shelters. They even supported the arts and public spaces: museums, theaters, parks, schools. Corona Enterprises had a hand in so many things, that people sometimes wondered how they could afford to run their own company.

The president and CEO of the company was actually pretty enigmatic. He didn't appear much in public, even for press releases. It was his wife that kept up face with society. She appeared at dinners and public affairs and even gave speeches on her husband's behalf. Quite a few newspapers actually criticized the CEO for 'hiding behind his wife' as they put it. But he didn't seem to care. His wife was still his spokesperson.

The office building was too far away for Rapunzel to walk to. She thought she could sit in the lobby. She considered loitering around the convenience store, but she figured she'd eventually have to buy something, and all she'd buy was a candy bar, which she could not justify. She didn't need any interior decorating. There was the sewing and craft store; Rapunzel hadn't sewn anything in awhile. Maybe she could pick a pattern and some fabric. But she was closer to the music store. The other place was across the street. She looked up at the sign for the music store and then in the window. She saw someone behind the counter, cleaning a clarinet.

Her heart leapt. It was Eugene! He was there, in the store, behind the glass, perfect like a portrait. Rapunzel quickly beat down her feelings.

How could she have found him without even trying?

"Knock it off, Rapunzel. It's probably his job. He'll get mad at you if you just walk in. Don't associate yourself with him anymore. It's better that way." But there he was, just standing there. She wanted to talk with him so badly. She wanted to hear his gentle, carefree voice. "Stop it," she hissed to herself. "He'll think it's weird you just happened to find him."

Rapunzel turned away, ready to cross the street to Killer Sewing and Craft Supplies, then she remembered the last time she crossed a street when Eugene was nearby. She figured she was safer in the music store. Defeated, she walked in.

There were bells on the door that heralded her arrival.

_Oh, crap._

"Welco- Rapunzel?"

"Hi, Eugene." She waved sheepishly.

"Are you stalking me now," he teased. "What are you doing down here?" Eugene set the clarinet down.

"It's for my job." Rapunzel paused. "I'm a model."

"Glamorous. I guess that explains the outfit," said Eugene as he looked her up and down. "Only fashionable people don't dress for the weather."

"I don't hear the happy sounds of someone cleaning a clarinet out there," said a voice in a back room. The voice was unbelievably deep, like he was speaking from way back in his throat and he must have been grinding gravel between his vocal cords. Out came a fat man, with bad teeth, bald head, a fumanchu mustache, and a….hook. The man had a hook for a left hand.

"Oh, it's clean." Eugene took the clarinet off the counter and handed it to the man. "And I'm on lunch break." Eugene smiled smugly at the man.

"Fine, but we've got a customer." The fat man gestured to Rapunzel. She realized it was yet another person from one of Eugene's photos. The man wore a gray button shirt, with the collar open so his double chin wouldn't be squished. He had on a pair of faded jeans and black tennis shoes. There was a belt on his pants, pulled too tight. His belly hung so far over his waist, Rapunzel was sure it hurt.

"Nah, she's a friend of mine. Rapunzel, this is my boss, Brad Hook. He owns this place. Boss, this is Rapunzel Moore. She's the reason my hand bit pavement a few days ago."

"I'm still sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it." Eugene waved away Rapunzel's concern.

"So this is the girl you saved." Mr. Hook extended his hand. "Pleased to meet you. Sorry if that boy over there caused you any trouble."

"Oh, I think I might have caused him more," Rapunzel said shyly. Close up, the fat man was actually a pretty tall, fat man. He was a whole head taller than her, yet, Eugene was still taller. She made note of that.

"Come on, Blondie, why don't you sit in the back with me while I eat my lunch. Mr. Hook'll watch the store."

"Eh, cheeky kid, thinking he owns the place. Go on, do what you want."

Rapunzel followed without a word, nodding to Eugene's boss as she passed.

The back room looked like the musical version of Eugene's apartment. Instruments, broken and in the process of being repaired, sat next to books and folders of sheets music. A stack of music stands sat in the corner, as did a box of trumpet and horn mufflers. On the work table was a guitar that had just been freshly strung. Eugene cleared off seats for Rapunzel and himself and then pulled out a sack lunch from a mini fridge Rapunzel hadn't even noticed. He reached inside and pulled out an apple.

"I ran into Max today and he gave me this. You want it?" Rapunzel took it without a word. Eugene took out a meat sandwich and started to eat.

"I see your arm has healed."

"Yeah." She looked at it. "It's a little stiff and sore, but it's not too bad."

"Yeah, know that feeling."

Rapunzel scratched her face, unsure how to act towards Eugene.

"I see your hand healed," Rapunzel said, gesturing to the hand holding the sandwich. Eugene looked down at it. There was still a fresh scar of pink skin and the marks where the stitches were. It covered practically his whole hand.

"Yeah. Now it's just another story to tell." Rapunzel didn't know what Eugene meant.

"Uh, your boss, Mr. Hook. His name is 'Hook' and he has a-"

"Hook? Yeah. It's his own personal joke. He lost it in a motorcycle accident actually."

"Oh, dear, Lord."

"Don't worry, the bike came out worse." Eugene winked at her. "He can actually still play the piano with that thing, if you can believe it. It's sort of like the people who have lost all their teeth, but can gum a stake. He can play it pretty well too. He still get's asked to do the underscoring for shows and musicals. He's actually sort of famous in the performing arts world."

"Impressive."

"Yeah." Eugene finished his sandwich and brought out a container of potato chips. He munched one, then offered them to Rapunzel. She shook her head. "So when you gotta be at this photo gig?"

"One. My bus is the 12:45."

"Mm, you got some time."

"Yeah." Rapunzel fixed her eyes on the guitar. It was an acoustic and had a special design on it of birds and clouds. She picked it up and strung a few cords.

"You can play," Eugene asked.

"I had a few lessons when I was little. They stopped when I went to live with my aunt." Rapunzel tried to play the first sixteen bars of Green Sleeves. She was sort of close. "I tried to keep up on my own, but I was only seven."

"Why do you live with your aunt? Just asking," Eugene said quickly, "you don't have to tell me." Rapunzel shook her head, not minding.

"My parents are dead. I won't get into details of poor, orphaned Rapunzel, but… I've been with my aunt ever since. She's really not as bad as she was when you saw her. She had just had a bad day, really." Rapunzel was always making excuses for her aunt, just so that people wouldn't pity her. Eugene looked like he didn't believe her, but didn't press it. Rapunzel played Green Sleeves again. She got a few more of the notes right. She tried it once more, humming out the tune. Just then, Mr. Hook came in.

"I thought it wasn't Eugene who was playing that. This boy can't even play his nose," he said to Rapunzel, grinning.

"Hey, you're the one who asked me to work here. Get back to the store before someone steals something."

"Yeah, yeah, says the delinquent." Mr. Hook shuffled out of the back room. Eugene turned back to Rapunzel.

"He only treats me like that cause I've known him since I was little."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he and my dad were in the same motorcycle gang. He's practically an uncle." Rapunzel's fingers brushed the strings again. "I'll string instruments with your hair."

"What?" Rapunzel looked up alarmed, wondering what sort of pick up line that was.

"_Eurydice_, by Sarah Ruhl. Good play. Haunting. Based off the Greek myth of Orpheus. Guy went to the underworld to bring his true love's soul back, but he wound up looking at her and she had to stay there."

"He wasn't supposed to look at her," Rapunzel asked.

"Not until they both left the underworld."

"Oh. I don't see many plays."

"Neither do I. I read them. I mean, I live above a bookstore, so, ergo, right?"

"Right. What's your favorite play?"

"Don't have one, but my favorite musical is _Into the Woods_. I actually have the original Broadway production on DVD. You should watch it sometime. Bernadette Peters is awesome as the witch."

"Maybe." Rapunzel had heard of _Into the Woods_. It was more fairytales. She didn't want fairytales. She also didn't know who Bernadette Peters was.

Rapunzel set the guitar back on the table. She looked at her watch. She'd killed thirty minutes talking with Eugene.

"You gotta go," he asked.

"In a bit. We could probably discuss one more thing."

"Like what?" Rapunzel shrugged.

"I don't know. You seem to like to start conversations."

"Mm. You start one."

"Uh…what's your favorite book?"

"Oh, Blondie," he chuckled, "really?" Actually, Rapunzel couldn't believe she had asked that either. It wasn't like she was curious about him or anything, and that sort of question was reserved for speed dating. "Never flirt," he told her. "My favorite book is anything that's a fairytale."

_Are you kidding me? _More _fairytales? What sort of guy is he?_

"What's your favorite movie?" She asked another speed dating question. What was with her?

"You want to keep this going? Are you interrogating me now," he teased.

"You told me to start a conversation." That idea was her only defense.

_I am such an idiot,_ she told herself.

"Well, at least you're not asking me what my favorite color is. My favorite movie is _Court Jester_ with Danny Kaye. An oldie, but a goodie."

"What's your favorite color?" That, she just did to tease.

"Really," he laughed. Rapunzel couldn't help but smile too. "Fine. Last one. My favorite color is the color of the sky and moon and sun, as the orbs sail overhead, casting their beams across the land. The sun burns the sky. The moon freezes the land. The stars wash away the earth's pain. I wait in my impatience for them to return, wishing to see the shades and hues again, reflected in your eyes, for that is my favorite color." Rapunzel blinked. Her heart fluttered.

"Is that from something," she asked.

"Nope, right off the top of my head." Rapunzel was a little impressed. It was a beautiful answer. "You probably should go now, right?" Rapunzel looked at her watch.

"Uh….yeah." Eugene stood up and led Rapunzel back to the store front.

"This was fun. Best lunch break I've had in awhile, course, better company helps."

"Hey," said Mr. Hook.

"You should swing by my night job. It's way more entertaining than here."

"Hey!" Eugene patted his boss on the back, then took out a piece of paper and pen from under the front counter. He wrote down the address and handed it to Rapunzel. "Swing by sometime. You can meet some of my other friends."

"Okay. Sure. I'll see what I can do. Bye."

"Bye-bye, Blondie." Rapunzel opened the door and stepped out into the biting February air once more. Her bus came a few minutes later and she was on her way to another dreadful photo shoot, but her mind was back with Eugene. She held the address close.


	6. Chapter 6

_Sometimes you need to just stop fighting Fate and let it do its thing. Other times, you need to throw Fate out the window and do your own thing. You also need to pray that luck will be on your side for once._

Chapter 6 – Looking for a Lucky Encounter

The sun was setting. The photo shoot ended at 5:30, but Rapunzel had lied to her aunt, telling her she had errands to do before all the stores closed. Rapunzel hurried back to Music's Dream as quickly as she could, but Eugene wasn't there. She only saw Mr. Hook.

"What am I doing," she asked herself again, smacking her head (and scaring other pedestrians). "Why do I want to see him?" He was just some random guy she met from a freak incident. He couldn't possibly be anything else. So why was Rapunzel trying so hard to change that?

Killer Sewing and Craft Supplies was still open, so Rapunzel went across the street. She really hadn't sewn anything in awhile and she liked making her own clothes and crafts. Inside, Rapunzel went to the back where the pattern books were kept and flipped through a few. As she looked, she found herself in the costume section and on the exact page for Disney princess costumes.

She couldn't ever get away from anything fairytale related, could she?

Rapunzel wound up picking a pattern for a stuffed animal. It was a chameleon. She only needed a little fabric, so she went to the remnants bin and picked a green paisley patterned bundle and then picked up a pair of black buttons. She bought her supplies and left.

It was 6:15.

Rapunzel didn't want to go home.

Rapunzel took a bus to the town center. She liked the more traditional city look of New Sonnenburg's city center. It was far more inviting than the upscale downtown, full of its old shops mixed with hipster pop ups and expensive big name stores. There was too much clashing of opinions and pop culture. The city center had more of a college town feel to it. No big businesses, only small shops and mom 'n' pop places. Rapunzel got off the bus and walked a block up the street to her favorite restaurant, The Snuggly Duckling.

It was an odd name for a place of business, but it was a quaint, homely, family owned place and she was hungry. Inside, Rapunzel was greeted by a server and seated. She was handed a menu, but she really didn't need it. Rapunzel always got the same thing. She asked for water and then looked at the menu, just to see if maybe she'd change her mind. She didn't.

In about ten minutes Rapunzel had her plate of cheesy chicken alfredo and wheat bread. She ate it slowly, wanting to kill as much time as possible. She really, really did not want to go home.

After the photo shoot was done, Aunt Donna started talking up one of the photographers. She was flirting with him hard, practically throwing herself on him. The man wasn't resisting much and asked Donna if she'd like to go out.

"Oh, but I have my niece to take care of. Flower? Are you okay going home by yourself? Or do you want me to take you home? I don't want you doing anything you're not comfortable with."

"No, it's fine Aunt Donna, I actually have some errands to run." Aunt Donna smiled at Rapunzel.

"There's my big girl." Aunt Donna left, clinging to the arm of the photographer.

Rapunzel didn't want to go home because she would find either one of two things: nothing, or her aunt and her latest victim in bed. It would just be better to stay out as long as possible.

She finished her dinner and paid the bill. She then wandered over to the computer counter. About a year ago, the proprietors of The Snuggly Ducking finally bowed to the demand for technology and put in five computers with internet. Rapunzel got on and checked her e-mail (nothing new, she had a 30% off coupon from Barnes and Noble) her Facebook (Pascal posted a picture of his latest hair color: electric blue) and her deviant art account. She scrolled down to all the people who had faved her work and deleted it all. She always had 100+ people either fav her and/or watch her every day. It made her happy that people liked her art, but it was such a hassle to deal with so much activity. She closed out of the internet browser, then opened it up again. She went to Google and clicked on maps. She pulled out the piece of paper Eugene had given her earlier and typed out the name and address. Vlad's, 5050 Roving Road .

Vald's was in the same vicinity as Flynnigan's Tower of Books bookstore. And it was perpendicular to the street The Snuggly Duckling was on.

"You mean I'm just three blocks from Eugene?" Rapunzel could hardly believe it. Was the universe trying to tell her something? She looked down at the computer's clock in the bottom right hand corner. It was almost eight. Eugene had said it was a night job. Just what was Vald's? She clicked on info for the place. Vlad's was a bar. "He works at a bar?" Now Rapunzel was having second thoughts about going. But if Eugene was there, he'd keep her safe.

Right?

"I've already seen him once today. Do I really need to see him again?" Rapunzel weighed her options. "…I don't want to go home..."

She closed out of the browser again and gathered up her stuff. She went back into the chilly air and walked up the corner to Vlad's.

It was a cold walk there; Rapunzel was almost frozen when she got to the front. There were two signs for Vlad's. One that said 'Vlad's' and another on the door that read: 'Bronies only. (Pegasisters and other paying customers welcome too.)'

"Bronies?" The word had a familiarity to it, like Pascal had mentioned it or something.

Rapunzel took a deep breath.

"I am crazy." She opened the door and stepped inside.

There was a bell that rang her entrance.

_Are you kidding me?_

"Welcome to Vla- Rapunzel?" Eugene was standing behind the bar, a beer mug in his hand, the other hand on the tap. He wore a black t-shirt (a tight black t-shirt) that said 'Vlad's' and had a….unicorn on it….what? Behind the bar was a hulking man, with his back to the door, dressed just like Eugene. He had to stoop, because the ceiling was too low for him.

_Is everyone he associates with just super-sized?_

Rapunzel gave a wave to Eugene.

"You told me to swing by sometime and I was in the area. So, ergo…right?"

"Well, don't just stand there like an unwelcomed guest. Pull up a bar stool." Eugene banged his hand on the bar, gesturing to a stool by him. Rapunzel walked over and sat down. The hulking man turned around. He was just as unappealing to look at as Mr. Hook: he had a broad face, his brow came down in a frown and moved into a very large, flat nose. He had wide, elongated lips, like Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones. He sort of looked like he ran into a wall. If Rapunzel had to describe an ogre, he'd be it.

_It's another one of the people in Eugene's photos._

"Eugene," he said, in a deep, grating, rough voice, "the guy at table five wants his beer."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going. I'll be right back, Blondie." Eugene left the bar. Rapunzel followed him out and saw the decorations of the establishment.

On every available surface were posters of colorful ponies with big anime eyes. Pink, blue, green, white, pegasus, unicorn, alicorn: everywhere! Mostly, six ponies kept being repeated: a purple unicorn, a white unicorn, a blue pegasus, a yellow pegasus, a pink pony, and an orange pony. There was one large poster full of ponies and other creatures with a pink logo in the corner. On the wall right across from the bar were four pictures of women, all with signatures. Rapunzel's jaw dropped a little.

"Oh, my, god, it's a My Little Pony bar."

"That it is," said the big guy proudly. "I'm the proprietor, Vlad Kiel." He stuck out a hand to Rapunzel. One of his fingers was as long as her own hand. "You a friend of Eugene's?" Rapunzel nodded. "Clever idea, isn't it?" Vlad spread his arms out to his bar.

"Uh, yes, very clever."

"Yeah, you wanna know where I got the idea?"

_Not really, but you're probably going to tell me anyway._

"My sister and her husband and their kid had to move in with me, which is actually a pretty good idea in this economy. Anyway, I'm the only one home during the day to watch my niece and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is her favorite show. After a few weeks, I realized how great of a show it is."

"Vlad, are you boring her?" Eugene had come back. He passed by Vlad and grabbed another mug and began to fill it up with beer.

"I am not. She's completely enthralled."

"Uh-huh, yeah, I'll give you the short version. Vlad discovered ponies, his bar was suffering, decided he needed a theme and made it bronies only and has been successful since. The end."

"You leave all the excitement out of it." Eugene rolled his eyes as he passed by Vlad with another mug of beer. Rapunzel eye's followed him to a table in the corner. As he was coming back, the door opened again and in walked a couple.

"Garçon, you're your finest table, please!"

"Hey, Jeff, Raven, nice to see you," said Eugene as he walked by.

"Hey, Eugene," said the man.

Rapunzel's jaw dropped. Not because the man was incredibly ugly (she'd already seen him in another of Eugene's photos, the one where they were all wearing tuxes; he was just as ugly up close) but because of the woman who came in with the man. She was drop dead gorgeous. Tall, shapely legs, narrow waist, perfect hips, round bosom, long dark brown hair, dark skin. She had light, almost amber colored eyes. Her features were smooth: small nose, delicate eyebrows, little definition to her cheeks, fleshy lips, rounded chin. She looked like a Mediterranean goddess and she was hanging off the arm of such a hideous man.

"Take a seat you two." Eugene pointed next to Rapunzel. "This is the girl I saved a while back."

"So you're that girl," said the ugly man. God, his voice sounded so dorky. It cracked at all the wrong intervals.

"Did you tell everyone you saved my life," Rapunzel asked Eugene, a little mad at him. It sounded like he enjoyed telling the story of her rescue.

"Only the people I know. Had to cause of the bandage." Rapunzel supposed he had a point there. "By the way, these two are Jeffery Big and his wife Raven Big."

_Wife?! _So it was_ his_ wedding they were celebrating. Raven gave her hand to Rapunzel and then sat down next to her. Jeff sat on the other side.

"Personally, I think it's incredibly romantic that Eugene risked his own life to save you," she said. "He didn't even have concern for himself, such a hero." Raven put her hand over her heart and fluttered her eye lashes.

"Careful with this one, Blondie, she'll spread stories."

"Your name's Rapunzel, right? Like the fairytale," Jeff asked. Rapunzel nodded her head. "Cute. Goes with the hair." Eugene got a glass of beer for Jeff and a glass of wine for Raven. As he handed it to her, he asked:

"Should you be out on a school night?"

"The kids won't notice if I'm hung over." Raven leaned over to Rapunzel. "I'm a kindergarten teacher."

"Ah, then I wouldn't with hold alcohol from you."

"I like this girl; can she be my new bartender?" Eugene shook his head.

"No. You want anything to drink, Blondie?"

"You know I'm underage."

"We have stuff other than beer."

"Water is fine."

"Water it is." Eugene set a glass in front of Rapunzel, then left to get something from the kitchen. He walked out with a round tray of food.

"So, what do you do," Raven asked Rapunzel, as she turned her back on her husband and propped an arm up on the bar counter, resting her chin in the palm of her hand.

"I'm a student at Kingdom County Community College."

"That's where Eugene goes. And you never saw him before he rescued you?"

"It's a big campus."

"Mm." Raven took a draft of wine. "What are you studying?"

"Art, mostly. I'm taking math and psychology."

"Oh, my husband had to take that to get his degree. Didn't you, honey? Psychology."

"Oh, yeah. I'm a marriage councilor. I believe that all relationships can be fixed. That love connection doesn't just die. It's still there, deep inside."

"He's such a romantic." Raven patted Jeff's face.

"Yeah, you might not believe this, Rapunzel," Eugene said as he came back from serving his food, "but these two are a real 'love at first sight' couple."

"Oh, sure" Jeff said, "it was love at first sight, alright, right after she helped me clean the pepper spray out of my eyes," Jeff chuckled. Raven turned to Rapunzel.

"He fell on me during a subway ride. The train had stopped, then suddenly started again. He wasn't prepared for the lurch and fell right on top of me."

"My face found her chest."

"I felt so bad about it. Instinctual reaction, you know, pepper spray. I took him out to dinner to apologize and, we just clicked."

"Wow, that's…that's something else." It was a ridiculous story is what it was. Something straight out of a romantic comedy, or modern day fairytale. Could she never get away from that theme?

"I know, but the way you two met is so much better," Raven was saying. "You even had the rain to make the whole scene complete."

What was she suggesting?

Eugene knew.

"Okay, Raven, leave off. You've asked her enough questions." Raven only shrugged and took another swig of wine.

Rapunzel mainly listened to the conversations that Eugene and his friends were having. She didn't have much to say and she was enjoying just listening to Eugene talk. Eventually, they got talking about the newest episode of My Little Pony with Vlad.

"I actually just saw it yesterday. We were out Saturday and we had to record it. Then my niece had a dance recital Sunday and school on Monday. What'd you think of Pinkie Pie's new song?"

"I liked it. It's one of her more catchy ones. The tune though sounded like something I've heard somewhere before," Jeff was saying.

"I know. I'm glad, though, that Applejack finally got a song all to herself. Took till season three," Raven said.

"Yeah. Have you noticed how they're catering to the fandom this season," Vlad asked.

"I know."

Rapunzel noticed that Eugene was staying out of the pony discussions. She decided to test something.

"So, your theme is ponies, Vlad, and you have a sign that says 'Bronies only.' I saw the other bit, but how do you know who's a brony or not?"

"Oh, we generally ask 'em who's they're favorite," Vad told her. "My niece convinced me to like Twilight Sparkle and Rarity, but I like Rarity more. She's just one tough bitch, you know."

"I can't help but like Cheerlie," Raven said. "She's a teacher, I'm a teacher."

"I like Princess Mi Amora Cadenza, or Princess Cadence. Mainly because her special talent is spreading love," Jeff said, as he slipped his hand into Raven's and kissed it.

"Does the rule apply to your employees," Rapunzel asked, eyeing Eugene.

"Oh sure, all my servers and cooks need to be able to name at least one of the six main ponies."

"Who's Eugene's favorite pony?" His shoulders jumped. He looked at Rapunzel, pretending to be annoyed.

"Oh, Eugene is odd man out. He likes the villains," his boss said, clapping him on the back.

"Because they're more badass. I mean, Discord and Sombra are ten times better than any other character. Even Nightmare Moon is better than Luna, and they're the same freaking pony."

"Blasphemy!"

"And besides, you all liked my Discord cosplay for Halloween." Everyone nodded their heads.

So, Eugene was a brony. Rapunzel didn't know what to think.

After a little while longer, Rapunzel had to excuse herself to use the ladies room. When she came out of the stall, Raven was waiting for her.

"Hello," Rapunzel said slowly, alarmed that the woman had followed her into the bathroom and was standing by the wall like she was going to mug her.

"Hello," Raven said friendly enough. "So?" Raven smiled curiously at Rapunzel, like she was the Cheshire Cat.

"So…what?"

"Are you and Eugene getting together?"

"What?" What a rude thing to ask of someone you've just met. "No. We're not," Rapunzel said firmly.

"Come on, Eugene literally knocked you off your feet. There's gotta be something there. You can't tell me there's nothing there."

"No. I just see him as a nice guy who…I keep running into."

"Keep running into? Honey, please. It's Fate. Don't deny it. If you ask me, I think your life is just beginning."

"With Eugene? Sorry, but I'm not looking for any relationships."

"Careful what you say. I've learned from personal experience that when you make plans, God decides to fuck with you. I didn't want to get married. Ever. Met Jeff, a year later, we're getting hitched.

"I don't plan to stray from my path."

"Neither did Little Red Riding Hood."

"And look at what happened to her," Rapunzel said.

"Yeah, but she came out the better. Don't stay on the straight and narrow for too long. There might be a pit fall in there somewhere. Besides, Eugene isn't the wolf, he's the hunter." Raven checked herself in the mirror and left. Rapunzel looked at her own reflection.

She actually didn't know what she wanted from Eugene, but she was sure it wasn't a relationship.

She left the bathroom and returned to her seat. Curious, Rapunzel looked at her watch for the time. 11:30 p.m. Where had the time gone?

Eugene noticed Rapunzel looking at her watch.

"Hey, Vlad," he said, "I'm gonna skip out early, take Rapunzel home." Her head popped up.

"Eugene, you don't need to do that. I can get home fine." Rapunzel caught a look from Raven. She looked like a cat again, the way she was smiling.

"That's fine, Eugene. You're not coming in tomorrow, are you?"

"Nah, I've got something going on." Eugene turned to Rapunzel. "Wait a second and I'll get my coat." Eugene ducked into a back room and came out with his blue leather jacket. He threw it on and zipped it up. "Ready to go?"

"I guess."

"See you later, Eugene," Jeff called.

"I hope we can talk again," waved Raven.

Eugene opened the door, then slammed it shut and turned around, his back to the door like he was trying to keep something out.

"Uh… Eugene," asked Vlad.

"Guess who's outside."

"Oh, for the love of, really? That's the fifth time this month. I'm gonna break their legs this time. Jeff, you wanna help?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Be careful, honey."

"I'm always careful." Eugene stepped aside for the two men.

"Come on, Blondie, we gotta take the back door." Eugene took her hand. She looked back at Vlad and Jeff stepping outside.

"Why?"

"Eh, some old 'friends' of mine want to talk." Rapunzel had no idea what that meant. Shouldn't he be going to meet them?

Eugene took her through the kitchen and checked that the coast was clear in the back alley. He then led Rapunzel outside and onto the street. Eugene didn't let her turn around, but Rapunzel was sure she could hear boney flesh connecting with not so boney flesh mixed with the yelling and shouts she knew she heard.

"I've got a spotted past, Rapunzel. It likes to follow me, and sometimes, it tries to take me back."

"That so?" Rapunzel wasn't alarmed, for some reason. She didn't care what his past was. She realized that she actually sort of figured Eugene was probably a trouble maker when he was younger, but her curiosity was piqued to know just what sort of trouble he got into.

Eugene was still holding Rapunzel's hand. She looked down at it. She didn't say anything. His palm was so rough and calloused and…secure.

The two walked up to the bus stop. Eugene pulled out his phone and looked at the time.

"There should be a bus coming soon. Why don't we sit down?" Eugene pulled Rapunzel into the bus shelter and out of the wind. He sat down and let go of her hand. Rapunzel wished he hadn't. She could not explain it, but her hand now felt funny without his fingers and much colder.

They sat in silence for awhile. Rapunzel cleared her throat.

"Your other friends are nice."

"Yeah? I thought they scared you."

"They did, but I said what you wanted to hear." Eugene chuckled. "Is Vlad a Swede or a Russian by chance?" Rapunzel wasn't curious, she was just making small talk.

"Oh, because he's so big? Yeah, he's actually both, which I don't know how that happened considering the history of those two countries. He's really a nice guy, but don't get him mad." Eugene sounded like he had once.

"I suppose your other friends learned that tonight."

"Oh, they've known that, but they're idiots and keep needing to be re-taught."

"Ah."

Silence.

"Uh, Raven and Jeff. I liked them. Raven seemed a bit more outspoken than her husband, but I liked her."

"Yeah, sorry about her. She's the busy-body gossip type."

"Yeah, I noticed. Jeff seemed a little old for her, though."

"He's only two years older than me, Blondie."

"Well, how old are you?"

"24."

"He's only 26?" Jeff sure didn't look it!

"And she's actually 28, so she'd the older out of the two." Rapunzel's jaw dropped. She tried to understand the new information, but it didn't make sense.

"Well, I stand corrected then."

"Eh, don't feel bad about. Everyone thinks he's older."

"How do you know him?"

"He worked at Vlad's with me when he was taking courses for his degree. I've been working there since I was 21. I only got the job cause Vlad's like an uncle too. Same motorcycle gang as Mr. Hook and my dad."

"Ah."

Silence. Again.

"So…" Rapunzel didn't want the conversation to just end. "Bronies?"

"Hey, I am not a brony."

"But you know the material and have a costume."

"For my job," Eugene laughed. "I have to be able to talk to people about the latest episode, their favorite song, favorite character, who's better, Celestial or Luna. It's silly, but it pays the bills."

"So, your extended family helps you out with jobs?"

"Yeah," Eugene said nodding his head.

"Do your parents help out?" Rapunzel almost kicked herself. What was she doing asking such a personal question?

"I tell them to not to. You know, do stuff on my own. They respect that for the most part."

"Mm." Rapunzel looked at her gloved hands. It was so cold. She wanted to be inside. She shivered a bit. She should have just grabbed a heavy coat anyway and thrown her aunt's fashion sense out the window.

The bus came. Eugene stood up. Rapunzel did the same. They came out of the shelter. The bus driver opened the door. Rapunzel didn't get on.

"You getting on," the driver asked, a little irritated.

"No," Rapunzel said a little too loudly. The driver shrugged, closed her door and drove away.

"Blondie?" Rapunzel looked up at Eugene. Her green eyes were wide, pleading. Eugene found that his heart skipped a beat or two.

"I don't want to go home." Eugene immediately became worried. He put his hands on her shoulders.

"Did something happen? Did your aunt do something?"

"No. I just…" Rapunzel dropped her head. She leaned up against Eugene's chest, wanting to be held by him. "I just don't want to go home." Eugene was so warm and he felt safe. His hands twitched to hold her, but he stopped himself; she could tell. Rapunzel stepped away from him, looking back up at him.

"Well, my place isn't that far from here." He took Rapunzel's sack of sewing supplies and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I hope you don't mind, but, you're shivering."

"I don't mind." Eugene smiled down at her.

"Well, let's get going."

"Can we watch a movie when we get there," Rapunzel asked.

"_Conair_?"

"I was thinking _Court Jester_. You said it's your favorite." Eugene gave Rapunzel a squeeze.

"I'll make popcorn."

When Rapunzel got to Eugene's, she found she didn't mind the mess anymore, nor, did she mind him sitting so close to her. She also decided that _Court Jester_ was a pretty good flick, even if she did fall asleep in the middle of it.


	7. Chapter 7

_Everyone has baggage. Sometimes it's manageable and other times, it's even too much for the plane. With all baggage, it's nice to have someone help you, but some baggage just needs to be left and forgotten. I learned that the hard way._

Chapter 7 – Discussion of Luck Over Coffee

Rapunzel hummed to herself on the bus. She was sitting in the back, looking at all the buildings and people she passed. Occasionally, she saw someone who would be interesting to draw.

Outside, anyone could hardly tell it had been below freezing just a few weeks ago. It was early March and Rapunzel had never sounded so chipper.

She'd been spending time with Eugene and she just couldn't help but be happy around him. Or be happy when she thought about him.

She had not been back to his apartment since February, but she was seeing him at school. She and he had arranged that they eat lunch together every now and then. Of course, Pascal was attached to Rapunzel's hip and Max to Eugene's, but she didn't mind. Rapunzel liked Max too and it was a good opportunity for Pascal to warm up to the two, which he was doing, slowly. He stopped giving Eugene a hard time every single time he saw him, but only after he saw that Rapunzel wasn't nervous around him anymore. He was seeing that Eugene really wasn't that bad of a guy. The two even had a joke going.

"Donut!"

"Berliner!"

It didn't matter who said what first, but they always said it.

The two actually really liked to test each other's knowledge of random information and facts. It was about half and half of who won. Eugene and Pascal had more in common than they had realized at first. They were both into _Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings_, classic cult films, H. P. Lovecraft, Jules Vern, anime (there they differed a bit, but they both liked one called _Last Exile_) and an Icelandic band named Of Monsters and Men. The two could talk about any topic for long minutes. When Eugene and Pascal would go on these bouts, Max and Rapunzel would discuss the weather and other things, mostly keeping to pleasantries. She and he actually didn't have that much in common, but their talks were always nice.

The bus Rapunzel was on stopped.

"Bucker's Road."

Rapunzel checked she had everything and got off the bus.

It was such a nice day out. March was a finicky month in New Sonnenburg. It was never the same temperature for long, but today was a warm day. Rapunzel could have worn any thin, gauzy, horribly fashionable piece of clothing her aunt would have picked and she would have been perfectly fine. But Donna was not home when Rapunzel left. She wasn't even sure if her aunt had even come home the night before. Rapunzel hadn't seen much of her aunt of late, actually, which was nothing new. In the past, Donna had left Rapunzel alone for almost an entire week.

The reasons why Rapunzel had gotten on the bus were A) her aunt had the car and B) she didn't have internet at home. Rapunzel needed to email a paper to her psychology teacher before midnight. She had gotten it done the night before, so she wasn't pressed to get it out, but still, she wanted it sent.

There was a coffee shop with fairly fast wi-fi just a few blocks from her house and she often went there. It was called Peep 'n' Perk. Rapunzel wasn't quite sure what the 'peep' was, but nothing strange had ever happened in the coffee shop so she deemed it safe. She went in, ordered her usual black peach tea and hazel nut muffin and went to sit down at her usual booth. But someone was in her spot. Someone she knew.

"Max?" Max was staring at his laptop, headphones plugged in and zoned out. He barely heard his name, but noticed someone standing by him. He looked up.

"Rapunzel, hey. What are you doing here?

"Internet. I've got to send a paper."

"Ah. Well, make yourself comfortable." Max gestured across the table. "I certainly don't need all this room." Rapunzel took Max's offer, sitting across from him. She pulled out her own laptop and turned it on. "How have you been, Rapunzel?"

"Oh, fine. Busy with school."

"Yeah, midterms, right?" Rapunzel nodded her head.

"So, what's your reason for coming down here," Rapunzel asked Max. He blushed a bit.

"Don't tell Eugene, but this coffee shop has the best apple turnovers and they're the only place in town that has an apple spice tea." Rapunzel blinked.

"Wow, Eugene was right; you do have apples on the brain." Max shrugged.

"I like apples."

"Nothing wrong with that, it's just cute that a cop likes apples more than donuts."

"Yeah, the guys at the station keep getting on my case about it." Rapunzel cracked a smile.

"Are you working tonight?

"No," Max said as he took a swig from his tea. "I'm off tonight. I've got tickets to a concert. Jeff and Raven are tagging along. You've met them, right?"

"Yeah." Rapunzel had seen the couple a few more times after she met them at Vlad's. Raven kept saying they needed to go out for lunch and have a real talk. Though, Rapunzel knew what she'd want to talk about. "Well, it sounds like you have a fun evening planned."

"Oh, yeah, night out with the newlyweds. Woo." Max twirled a finger in the air. Rapunzel smiled. Max had a bad habit of being too sarcastic, but the way his voice dripped with it, it was hilarious. He had the voice of a comedian and always sounded like he was perfecting the act. He belonged back in Vaudeville. "I wish Eugene were going," Max continued. "But he's got stuff to do. He always used to go to concerts with me."

"You and he have been best friends for awhile?"

"Well, I wouldn't say awhile. Since high school and not even all through high school. We actually hated each other when we first met. No, no, I'm not kidding. First time we laid eyes on each other, we got into a fight. He gave me this look and it just set me off. No one had ever done that before. And man, he has a strong upper hook." Max rubbed his chin at the memory. Rapunzel imagined a younger Max and Eugene getting into a fist fight. She really couldn't see it; the two were too good of friends. "That was the first time in my entire school career I'd gotten detention," Max said. "And you know what he said?" Rapunzel shook her head. "He said that was the first time he'd ever sat through a whole detention. That guy, he got under my skin and got me in so much trouble. I hated him so much. P.E. was just one of the many classes we had together. You can imagine how that turned out, even when we were on the same team."

"What changed?" Rapunzel was finding Max's story about Eugene amusing. She'd never seen him get worked up before. Max was a pretty chill guy.

"Well, it's an odd story, but if I'm going to tell you that, I suppose I need to tell you previous events." Rapunzel cocked an eyebrow.

"Previous events?"

"Yeah," Max breathed out. He ran a hand through his hair and brought it down his neck. "Just because, you need to know what he was like, even before I met him, to get it. You see, Eugene hasn't had the easiest of lives. His mom walked out when he was nine and then his dad got thrown in jail for aggravated man slaughter when he was thirteen." Max paused. Rapunzel said nothing. She didn't know what to say or think. Max continued. "This is all stuff I've heard from Mr. Hook and Vlad, but apparently Eugene got in deep with some gang. Actually, the two thugs from a couple weeks ago were in the gang Eugene ran with. You know, from when you went and visited him at Vlad's. Eugene told me about it." Rapunzel nodded her head. She had not seen the two, but she figured that didn't matter. "He did a lot of punk shit with those guys: vandalism, petty theft, a few breaking and entering. He was in and out of juvie so many times, but they couldn't do much with him, especially after he busted some guy's jaw and broke his leg." Rapunzel's eyes widened in shock. Max noticed. "I know, hard to believe, right? Especially, after knowing this Eugene for a few months." Rapunzel nodded.

"I've seen him get a little heated, but, never violent," Rapunzel said, thinking back to when Eugene had thrown her aunt against the wall when she was berating her.

"Yep. He was in juvie for nine months for that, injuring that guy. Mind you, he was only fourteen. Then, when he got out, he did something stupid and got arrested again and this time, they were going to charge him as an adult, but the charges got dropped. Anyway, about a month after that, Eugene finds himself going to the best school in the city. That's how he and I met. I knew he was trouble the moment I laid eyes on him, course, it didn't help that he had a busted lip and a black eye. He caused problems for everyone: teachers, students, administration, even the lunch ladies. The school was going to take action against him when he suddenly changed his tune and on his own terms. It was the strangest thing. He'd been out for a week; I thought the school really had kicked him out, but he shows up. He came into school, black and blue, his arm broken and all these bandages and large band aids over his arms and face. I mean, it looked like he got beaten with an ugly stick. Anyway, first hour, he just walks right up to me and says 'you wanna be friends.' I had no idea know what to say. I was suspicious. I asked him what angle he was going for and he simply said he needed a friend who wouldn't get him in trouble anymore or beat him up. I still don't really know the whole story behind it, but after that, we just hung out. And the rest is history." Max drained his tea and excused himself for a refill.

Rapunzel looked at her computer screen. She hadn't even signed in yet. She typed her password and connected to the internet. Even as she did the motions, Rapunzel was thinking about Eugene.

So that was the spotted past he'd mentioned. What a childhood. But she figured she didn't have much room for an opinion, looking at her own past. No wonder Eugene had been so desperate to help her. He saw himself in her. He saw her drowning and he wanted to pull her out. He really was just trying to help her and he was still looking out for her. Rapunzel felt a warm hum in her heart and she smiled to herself.

Max came back with his refill.

"The only thing that sucks about this place is the fifty cents refill." Max grinned at Rapunzel, but she wasn't listening. "Hey, I didn't mean to scare you about Eugene."

"What? No, you didn't. Why?"

"You have this incredibly pensive look and your eyes are wide."

"Oh, I just do that when I'm thinking."

"Oh, good. I didn't want you running away from Eugene. He likes you." Rapunzel tried not let her cheeks blush. "Like a friend! And he wouldn't understand why you suddenly stopped talking to him, you know? He's not like that anymore, seriously. He hasn't gotten in trouble again since he was sixteen and that was for something small." Rapunzel nodded. She knew what Max meant from the beginning, but it was sort of funny watching Max put his foot in his mouth. He never really slipped up.

"Eugene had it pretty rough for awhile, didn't he?"

"Rougher than most, but he's turned out alright. He's still sort of a loaded time bomb, you know? Wound too tight. He tries to not let things get to him, but he's got anger problems still. I've seen him blow up a few times. Punched a hole in my wall; I still need to fix that... I worry about that in him and what he's done. He did so much shit and those two thugs lurking about, they're always trying to get him to come back to the gang. I'm afraid that one day, he's going to do something stupid again and everything he's worked for will fall apart." Max grew silent. Rapunzel reached across the table and took his hand.

"You really are his best friend, aren't you? I wouldn't worry too much. Eugene isn't an idiot. I don't think he'd ever jeopardize what he has." Max chuckled.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Look at me," he laughed, "worrying about some idiot I hated on sight. Funny how things change, right?"

"Very funny," Rapunzel agreed, thinking about how she herself had changed towards Eugene. He was too easy of a guy to be around. Rapunzel let go of Max's hand. He glanced at his phone.

"Ah, it's almost four. I better get going to get ready for the concert. It's in the next town over and I've got to pick up Jeff and Raven. I'll see you later, Rapunzel." Max picked up his things. "See you at school," he waved. Rapunzel waved back. He turned to leave, then turned back. "Seriously, Eugene really is a nice guy."

"I know."

"Just so you know, okay?"

"Okay." Satisfied, Max waved again and left.

Rapunzel smiled to herself and turned back to her computer and signed into her e-mail. Max was a good friend, looking out for another good friend.

Rapunzel stayed till six. She downloaded some music and watched a few episodes of My Little Pony (she'd taken to watching it just so she could get in on the conversations at Vlad's). She got on the 6:15 bus and headed home.

On the bus, Rapunzel thought about two things: how Pinkie Pie was incredibly funny popping out of the apple barrel to stare at Twilight and Eugene.

His mom left. She left him. She knew the two situations were different, but her mother had left her. However, Rapunzel had the knowledge that her mother died and that the situation was completely out of her hands. She still felt abandoned though, but she had come to grips with it. Eugene's mother was still alive and, as far as she knew, had not contacted her son. Rapunzel wondered what that felt like, not being worth enough to take with. And his father; convicted of man slaughter, aggravated man slaughter. Could rage be genetic? Rapunzel shivered at the thought. She thought about Mr. Hook and Vlad and how Eugene kept saying that they were friends with his dad, but she wondered how two men as nice as them could be friends with a man like that. She decided he hadn't always been like that. What had changed? Was it something in him? Was it his wife leaving? What had caused her to leave in the first place? Rapunzel shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts out. She knew she was not going to get the answers from herself.

She didn't see Eugene any different; he was still the nice guy who had saved her life. He had a past, baggage as a _How I Met Your Mother_ episode once put it. Everyone had something they had to carry, but now, he seemed more complicated than when she first met him.

Rapunzel looked out the window as the bus slowed down for her stop.

"I wonder if I had met him sooner, if I would be different," she said to her reflection.

Rapunzel got off the bus. She lived three blocks from the bus stop. The air was cool, the sun no longer right above to keep everything warm. As she walked, Rapunzel looked up and saw that the moon was out, as was the evening star, but she wasn't sure if it was Venus or Jupiter. The sun was barely visible in the west as it finished its journey. She smiled as she thought about what Eugene had told her his favorite color was. He could be surprisingly romantic and incredibly silly.

Yes, her opinion of him had not changed at all.

When Rapunzel got home, she saw her aunt's car was back. She hoped her aunt was in good humor. Rapunzel hadn't even prepared food for dinner.

She opened the front door, her stomach churning, making her feel weak and unwell.

"Aunt Donna? I'm home. I'm sorry I haven't started dinner. I was doing something for school." No answer. Rapunzel set her things down and looked around. The blinds were still drawn in the living room, the lamps off. Nothing was cooking in the kitchen and Aunt Donna's bed room light was not on. But her car was outside. "Aunt Donna?" Rapunzel heard a moan from the kitchen. She went to investigate. "Aunt Donna, is that you?" It was Aunt Donna.

Donna was lying on the floor, a small puddle of blood and vomit coming from her mouth. She was wearing her green cocktail dress and gold pumps from the other night and her make-up had rubbed off, revealing her bags and crow's feet. Rapunzel immediately became alarmed.

"Aunt Donna!" Rapunzel knelt down and tried to sit her aunt up. "What happened?" Donna gave a whine, then, she suddenly lashed out. Her arms flew about and Rapunzel saw her eyes, rimmed with red. She was high. Rapunzel ducked the swings and attempted to hold her aunt down. "Donna, it's me, Rapunzel. Can you hear me?" Donna continued to swing.

Rapunzel lunged for her aunt in an attempt to pin her to the floor, but instead, Donna's fist connected with Rapunzel's face. She fell backwards, banging her head against a chair, clutching her face. She wasn't stunned, but it had hurt. She rubbed the back of her head and looked at her aunt. She had stopped. Her eyes were red and glassy and as round as plates. She was looking at Rapunzel like a deer who had seen a hunter. Donna snarled and threw herself at Rapunzel, grasping her throat.

"Bitch," she grinded out through her teeth. "Fucking, whoring bitch." Rapunzel tried to pry her aunt's fingers from her throat, but Donna was too strong. Rapunzel started scratching at Donna's face, but this proved to do nothing.

_I need something to get her off._

Rapunzel saw one of her aunt's shoes, sitting on the floor by the refrigerator. She reached for it; her fingers barely touched the stiletto. Donna pulled up on Rapunzel and bashed her head into the floor. Stars splayed across her eyes. She didn't move, trying to let the pain subside, but then she noticed the sides of her vision going dark.

_I need to stop her._

Rapunzel reached for the shoe again. Just a few more inches. She stretched her arm and fingers as far as they would go….got it!

Rapunzel took the heel in her hand and whopped the shoe up alongside her aunt's head as hard as she could. Donna was so unstable, the blow knocked her over. Her grip slackened. She let go of Rapunzel's throat and she gulped air like it was water.

From her spot on the kitchen floor, Donna tried to get up again, but the movement only caused her to regurgitate more blood and bile. She collapsed in her own filth and didn't move again.

Rapunzel sat up, still breathing hard. Her head hurt and her heart raced. She wasn't sure what had just happened. She rubbed her throat, trying to ease the pain away.

Rapunzel stood and wobbled to the wall phone they had in the kitchen. She dialed three numbers.

"911, what is your emergency?"

"I need an ambulance."


	8. Chapter 8

_We wish on stars because we think they are magic. Then we learn that they are nothing more but big balls of burning gas and dust, millions of miles away. Yet, they still twinkle and appear beautiful. They get reflected back to us in the eyes of those we love and we feel safe in the arms of those who will protect us. We know they will protect our dreams with their own lights._

Chapter 8 – He is a Lucky Light

Rapunzel held an ice back over her left eye. She had self medicated herself with two aspirin from her purse pill case and a bottle of water. The doctor who checked her out said she was fine; she had no concussion and no bruising around her neck, just a black eye. She sat in the lobby of the hospital, where she had been just a month earlier for herself. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and she tried to be invisible. She was waiting.

The doctor had just come and told her that they were pumping her aunt's stomach.

"She's suffering from blood alcohol poisoning and a heavy dose of heroin. If she stays a few days, she should be fine." Rapunzel had barely listened. She was waiting.

She had called Eugene and told him what happened. She told him everything. Rapunzel had no idea why she did it, she just did. She needed something- someone who would hold her together. When she finished, Eugene hadn't said anything at first, then he asked which part of the hospital was she at. She told him.

"Stay there. I'm coming to get you." So, Rapunzel was waiting.

She didn't have long to wait. Eugene walked through the doors.

His face was flushed and he was panting. His clothes were disheveled, like he'd thrown on something nearby. Even his usual blue leather jacket looked haphazard, and leather does not wrinkle. He spotted Rapunzel immediately. He practically ran to her. She stood up and he didn't even ask her if she was alright. He just put his arms around her and held her as tight as he could.

"My, God," he whispered. Rapunzel did not embrace him back, she just breathed. Leather and Old Spice. It was so familiar now. He let her go and leaned down to her level. He gently brushed her hair out of her face to look at her black eye. "Did she do anything else to you?"

"No, Eugene," she said quietly. "Don't blame her. She was drunk and high-"

"That's no excuse." Eugene sounded angry. Rapunzel looked up at him. His brow was down in fury, like they were storm clouds and his eyes crackled with lightning. His mouth was a tight line and a vein twitched along his neck.

"But, she was," Rapunzel mumbled. Eugene sighed. He ran a hand over his face and down his neck.

"Do you want to go home?"

"Yes." Eugene put his arm around her shoulders and led her out of the hospital and to his car. It was a blue Toyota Corolla, but Rapunzel didn't really notice that. All she noticed was that it was cleaner than his apartment.

Eugene turned over the engine and pulled out.

He drove in silence. Rapunzel didn't even try to start a conversation. She had no desire to talk.

Eugene was forcing his breathing to sound even, but it was coming out too harsh. Rapunzel was not scarred; she was terrified. Eugene was angry. The carefree man she knew was angry. Her mind went back to what Max had told her earlier that day; Eugene was a time bomb and he could be violent. Though, she knew he would never hurt her, he might hurt her aunt, or worse, himself. And that shook her to her core.

They got to Rapunzel's house and Eugene turned off the engine. He didn't move. His hands fell into his lap and he stared at the steering wheel. Rapunzel did not move either, nor did she say anything.

"Rapunzel," he said at length, "get your things. You're coming to live with me." She didn't even turn to look at him.

"Why?"

"Because I can't let you be hurt again." Rapunzel stayed silent. She looked at him; Eugene's eyes glowed in the dim light of the street lamps. "Rapunzel, she could have killed you tonight and I cannot stand by and let you live in this house. You can't live with her anymore. You shouldn't have even been living with her in the first place. She's a danger to herself, threatening to self destruct. And she will, Rapunzel. I've seen it, and when someone self destructs, those around them do the same thing. I know; I've done it." Rapunzel said nothing. Her eyes moved to stare at her hands. "I do not want to see you hurt again, or worse, killed by that woman, or anyone else for that matter. Please, Rapunzel, don't fight me on this. Just, just come and live with me. I have another room you can use. My rent is paid for the next six months and-"

"Eugene." He stopped. Rapunzel looked out the front window shield. "I'm done." She looked at him. "I just need to get my stuff." Rapunzel got out of the car. She heard Eugene do the same. She unlocked the house door and went up to her room.

Rapunzel didn't use luggage. She just got two plastic trash bags and threw everything in: her clothes, her jewelry, her pillows, stuffed animals, her fabric. She found two plastic bins and packed up her art and sewing supplies and books. She put her portable sewing machine in its case and set it at the top of the stairs. Eugene came and got it. She really didn't have much. She had no treasures or mementos, just a picture of her and her parents as a happy family, right before everything went to hell. She put the two sacks and two boxes at the top of the stairs like she had the sewing machine. She then went back to her room and glanced around.

It had been her home for eleven years. It was not much of a home, but she had lived there. No, she had survived there; survived eleven years of pain, loneliness and unfulfilled love. Her aunt never wanted her. Her aunt never needed her. She was unwanted by her only family member.

_But Eugene wants you_, said a voice in her head that was not hers. She could only agree with the voice.

"Rapunzel?" Eugene called from down the stairs. "Are you ready to go?"

"Almost." Rapunzel left her room and went to her aunt's. She went to the night stand, opened the drawer and took out the pad of paper Donna kept there. She sat down on the bed and stared at the lined sheet. What was she doing? She took a pen, clicked it and put it to a line.

_Dear Aunt Donna,_

She scratched out 'dear.'

_Aunt Donna,_

She still did not like it, but it would have to do.

_By the time you read this…_

She scratched that out.

_I've moved out. You always said you never wanted me, so, you got your wish; I'm gone. I know you won't miss me, so I guess we're even there. I know I never want to see you again, and I don't care if that sounds cold, but it is the truth. I'm done with you and I'll never let myself be used by you again. So don't expect me to model anymore._

_Rapunzel_

She read the letter. She wished she could say more, but she could not bring herself to. She left the pad on the bed and walked out. She walked down the stairs. Eugene was waiting for her, his hands in his pockets.

"Was that everything," he asked, jerking his head to the car outside.

"Yes. Let's go." They left. Rapunzel locked the door and left her key with the spare in the hideaway rock. Eugene put his arm around her and walked her to the car. He opened the door for her, then got in on his side. He turned the vehicle on and drove away.

Rapunzel did not look back at her aunt's house.

Eugene said nothing on the ride to his apartment; her apartment. He only drove. Rapunzel said nothing. She only looked straight ahead, contemplating the shadows the head lights made.

They got home and Eugene unloaded the car. He only allowed Rapunzel to take one bag. He told her to go take a shower, or get herself something to drink, but Rapunzel had no idea what to do. She did not do either of Eugene's suggestions. She only wandered around the apartment, looking at his things. Eugene put Rapunzel's boxes and bags in his spare room.

"I'll clean it out tomorrow for you. You can do what you want with it." Rapunzel nodded to signal she had heard. "Do you want something to eat?" Rapunzel shrugged her shoulders. She said nothing. Her eyes fell on Eugene's award for his poem.

"Eugene…can I hear your poem?" She looked at him. "The one that won the award. Lights." Eugene looked at her blankly, then went into his room. She heard him rummage a bit, heard him throw folders and binders to the floor. He came back with a piece of paper that had been folded multiple times. He sat down on the couch. Rapunzel sat next to him.

"Lights," he said, his voice becoming smooth. It was just one word, but he made it sound like water falling.

_Come by the window, see the lights._

_Step out of your ill-fit skin._

_Leave your broken body behind; fly._

_You are a bird, left to the cruelty of the wind._

_Turn out the sun and flee the moon._

_Do not succumb to what she brings; silence._

_You have been wounded; I see it on your skin._

_When I hold you, you tremble and you fight me to fly._

_Do not fear me, like I am the wind._

_I am not a harsh man, cruel like the moon,_

_Who only leaves silver traces and silence._

_How can you leave me when you seek them with me; the lights?_

_I cannot follow you as you fly._

_You flee from me, me your protector from the wind,_

_Your shield from the malicious moon._

_She who seeks to harm you and bring your silence._

_Come home to me; follow the path I've made with the lights._

_Let their glow warm your skin._

_Please, my love, I am not the wind,_

_Who has cut you and made blood with the moon._

_I fear for your silence._

_Please, I need you to see the lights_

_I have made for you; I need your skin_

_Against mine. Careful how high you fly,_

_She will see you, the vicious moon._

_She will not rest until she knows of your silence._

_Let me protect you; hide you in my circle of lights._

_Let me save your tattered skin,_

_Before it is too late and you can no longer fly._

_Escape! I hear him, the wind._

_She raises her blade to ensure your silence_

_And she grins. I will not allow them to dim your lights._

_I have no need of my own skin._

_It is my turn to fly_

_And flee from the raging wind._

_She will not have her victory, the evil moon._

_At last, I can see the lights; I can touch your skin._

_You promise you won't fly, that you'll never again flee the wind._

_I have vanquished the moon, so why do you fear my silence?_

_Look at the lights I have made for you._

Eugene folded up the paper. Rapunzel shuddered from Eugene's words. It was hauntingly familiar, fleeing, not being able to escape. Never being able to escape; impossible and pointless. It was a sad and heartbreaking story Eugene had created. It left her feeling hollow, like she needed the glow of the lights from the poem. She placed a hand on Eugene's. He looked at her. She needed those clear, brown eyes to see her.

"Eugene," was all she could mange, before tears fell from her eyes.

Tears?

Rapunzel had learned to not cry long, long ago. She feebly wiped them away, but more came, streaming down her face. Everything washed out. A strained whine started in her throat; it turned into a broken cry, then a howl. She threw herself against Eugene, hiccupping and finding she could not breathe without her chest hurting. Eugene held her. He refused to let her go, easing himself and her down on the couch. He stroked her head, shushing her whimpers. She gripped his shirt in clenched fists, rubbing off her make-up. His arms were so strong, his hands gentle. He was warm. He was fire. He was her light and her protection from the wind and moon.

Rapunzel's sobbing eased into breathing and she slipped into a fitful sleep. Eugene did not move. He put a pillow under his head and pulled the blanket off the back of the couch. He looked down at Rapunzel. Her face was still red, her lashes still wet. Her eyebrows were knit up in a pained look. Eugene stroked her head again and kissed her crown. He rubbed her back and tightened his arms. She was so small; whatever wall she had built had shattered and she had not been able to contain the flood. How could anyone have ever been cruel to her? How could anyone be cruel to anyone else? Eugene knew rage, but he used it to defend himself, not to hurt others.

As he held her, Eugene swore to himself he would protect Rapunzel from all harm. She needed it. She was so small, too small to handle any more heartache.

His embrace never broke all through the night. He did not sleep and when the sun cracked through the windows and threw the colors of the glass bottles across the room, Rapunzel stirred. She woke up, surrounded by his gentle warmth and everything came back to her. She still had tears to shed and he whispered soothingly to her once more.


	9. Chapter 9

_I never meant to run and I didn't. I couldn't get away… I needed to run. I've always needed to run._

Chapter 9 – Can't Break the Bad Luck

Things were good. Rapunzel had nothing to complain about. Nothing, except one thing.

It was spring and there was a mass supply of only three kinds of flowers in New Sonnenberg: violets, daffodils, and tulips. There was only one kind of tree that the city workers ever planted in the medians and on the sidewalks: Bradford Pear's, which had a funny scent and white blossoms and were completely und utterly uncolorful. Rapunzel knew that in other parts, flowers and trees were budding and blooming, their color bursting through and banishing the last trace of winter. Rapunzel could not deny that it was nice to have plant life, but she wanted a variety. She found she was becoming addicted to variety.

It had only been two weeks since she moved in with Eugene and things were so, so different, but she could not figure out why. She still woke up, still ate breakfast, still went to class, still saw Pascal and Max, but she was doing things different. She was dressing different, speaking different, acting different. She looked at herself in the mirror and she was no longer the Rapunzel Moore who was scared of people and taking chances. She was becoming out going, talking with people she never would have before. She stopped hiding in her long hair, relying on it to protect her from ridicule, tying it back and showing her face. Her green eyes were clear and she was happy. She was actually happy. Pascal told her one day that it was because of Eugene, but Rapunzel scoffed at the idea. Eugene was just a friend.

It had not taken that long to become used to living with Eugene, and even if it had, he would not have said anything. He did everything he could to make his apartment feel like home to her: he bought a house plant, put air fresheners around the apartment, and had cleaned it out. Rapunzel had no idea what he did with all the clutter, but it was gone. One day, she got home from school and all the paper was gone, the clothes were picked up, and even some of his books were gone. He even took a few of the movie and video game posters down. His little toys sat out, but his airplane models were gone. He had also cleared out the spare room. Rapunzel never saw what he kept in there, but she figured it must have looked like the rest of the apartment. She had unpacked her things in there, setting it up like an art studio, her easel put by the window and her sewing machine sat on a table Eugene had picked up for her. Eugene got her hangers and she had hung her clothes up in the closet there. She had no bed, or even a futon, so Eugene still slept on the couch. He said he didn't mind, but Rapunzel felt bad. He didn't know it, but she noticed that he kept waking up stiff, cracking his neck and back, his feet snapping as he walked across the hard wood floors. He offered to buy her a bed, but she wanted to earn the money herself.

Since she had quit modeling, Rapunzel had no source of income. She got a part time job at an art supply store, Sea Shell Paint. She liked the job: her boss was nice and the customers were nice too. What Rapunzel liked best about the job, though, was that she was around art supplies. The smell of acrylic paint, paper, canvas, and pencils was like incense to her. Being around that smell didn't even compare to the bonus of getting art supplies at a discount.

Things were going well for her. She was free from her aunt; she felt like she could breathe again. Rapunzel had even gotten full control of her bank account. Eugene had done something to get it; she had no idea what he did and she decided she did not want to know.

Midterm had passed and Rapunzel was still passing all of her classes. She was attending class as usual, talking with other classmates and finding she rather liked conversing with people. She was even going to Vlad's more.

Eugene worked until two a.m. most nights at Vlad's. When Rapunzel did not have class the next day, she'd go there and hang out. Jeff and Raven were usually there, as was Mr. Hook. Even Max showed up nights when he wasn't on duty. Pascal came too, not wanting to be left out. He fit in right away; Pascal was already a brony.

Nights at Vlad's were always enjoyable. No one would really get drunk, but they could get just as rowdy. Somehow, nights at Vlad's would either end with someone winning an argument (Usually it was Eugene, Max or Pascal) or someone getting in a fight.

Case and point, one night Raven and Rapunzel sat at the bar with Jeff, who was talking to Vald behind the counter. The other boys were at a booth singing one of Pinkie Pie's songs (it had been a night when they got drunk). Raven was talking about her day at work and how a student of hers had squeezed an entire bottle of glue into another child's hair during naptime.

"The poor girl was so sure she was going to have to get all her hair cut off, I had to call her mother and ask her to take her home so she could wash the glue out."

"Poor thing," Rapunzel sympathized. Suddenly, a guy came up behind Raven, elbowing Jeff and knocking him to the floor. Raven heard the sound and turned around. She saw her husband on the floor and the man who had put him there. He was a handsome man: dark hair, sharp features, tall. He grinned at Raven.

"You, are a tall glass of white milk and might I just add-" But he didn't get to add anything; Raven punched him in the face. He kiltered off his center, gripping the bar for support. Jeff had gotten up. He put a hand on the guy's shoulder and turned him around.

"That tall glass of white milk is my wife." And then Jeff hit the guy. He went down. Jeff grabbed the guy's shirt collar and dragged the man outside. Rapunzel watched him go, her mouth agape. She looked back at Raven. She was smiling, a dirty thought playing in her head. She looked Rapunzel in the eye.

"Yeah, he's like that in bed too."

"Ah…okay."

Eugene came up behind Rapunzel, back from serving food. He put a hand on hers.

"Jeff is the strong jealous type," he explained.

"I think I noticed that." A few minutes later, Jeff came back. Raven rewarded him with a kiss and asked if he wanted to head home. Rapunzel saw a glint of a plan other than sleeping in Raven's eye. The couple said good night. As she passed Rapunzel, Raven gave her a wink. Rapunzel smiled nervously, waving, not liking that her suspicions had been correct. She didn't really want to know about people's personal lives.

Most of the time, nothing of incident happened at Vlad's. It was just a group of friends hanging out. However, there were a few more times when the two thugs from Eugene's old gang showed up. Eugene still ducked out the back, taking Rapunzel with if she was there. Vlad and whoever was still there would go and beat them up and Eugene and Rapunzel would get home without a scratch.

When Rapunzel and Eugene were both home, she'd cook meals for him. He kept telling her she didn't have to do all the cooking, that he could cook too, but Rapunzel insisted.

"It's the least I can do for you, Eugene. You've given me a place to stay and even your bed. I can't do much for you, so please, let me do this." He really didn't press the point much; he liked her cooking.

Rapunzel was happy where she was now. She was even singing a song she hadn't thought about since she was seven. She sang it when she worked around the apartment: dusting, sweeping, washing dishes. Eugene heard it one day when he was working on a paper for a class. He was sitting in the dining area, clacking away at the keys of his computer, papers and books strewn over the table, a pen in his mouth. All that was missing was a pair of reading glasses pushed up on his head. Rapunzel was folding laundry in the sitting room, singing softly to herself. Eugene heard her voice and stopped typing to listen.

"_Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt, change the fate's design. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine. What once was mine_." The sun shone in through one of the windows with the colored glass bottles and a rainbow had been thrown over Rapunzel; she glowed in the color. Eugene took the pen out of his mouth and stared at her.

"Beautiful," Eugene had said. She didn't jump, but she had not realized she was singing loud enough to be heard. "What is it," Eugene asked.

"It's a song my mom used to sing to me. I'd almost forgotten it, but it suddenly filtered back in." Rapunzel tried to brush Eugene's comment off, to hide she had been a bit embarrassed.

"I like it." Eugene went back to his typing. Rapunzel went back to the laundry; her cheeks rosy from his words. She had no idea why they burned, but they had been doing that of late, but only when Eugene said something to her. It also made her heart swell.

Though it had only been two weeks, Rapunzel decided that she would not change anything: her home, her job, her friends, her life. She liked it all way too much. Things finally seemed to be going right for her for once.

Rapunzel's focus was still mainly on school, but she was focusing on her new job too. It was something she had picked, not someone else, and she wanted to do it at 110%.

Eugene, Max or Pascal usually swung by Sea Shell Paint to take her home, but one night, Rapunzel had taken a double shift and none of them could come and see her home. She had said it was fine, she could get back to the apartment by herself.

Her boss told her she could leave at the end of the day, that he would close up. She quickly bought some new tubes of paint and said good-bye. She stepped out into the late evening, sad to smell the city air instead of the art supplies.

The bus stop was not exactly close to the art store, so Rapunzel had a ways to walk. She pulled out her phone, to see if anyone had called her or texted her. Just as she flipped it open, it buzzed, with one new text message from Eugene.

[Hey, Vlad said I could come get you. Have you already left?]

[Yeah. I'm halfway to the bus stop. You don't need to worry.]

[Alright. See you at home.]

Rapunzel smiled. Why was she not surprised that Eugene had still tried to come see her home. She shook her head, thinking he didn't need to be such a gentleman all the time.

Rapunzel had a street to cross to get to the nearest bus stop and it was still at the head of the street from there. Rapunzel waited for the light and hurried across. When she got to the other side, she saw the reflection of a large man right behind her. She didn't turn around, or even think much about it. She kept her normal pace.

She walked up the street. Her ears echoed with the footsteps behind her. She frowned. Why was that man following so close? She quickened her step and soon left the sound behind. But it came back. Now Rapunzel worried. She was being followed.

Every muscle in her body screamed to run, but she knew that would be the wrong thing to do. She was highly conscious of her heart rate quickening and she tried to think calmly. She needed to get inside someplace, but all the stores on her side of the street were either closed or closing. If only she could get to the bus stop. She walked faster still.

It sounded like the man was right on top of her. Terror made her heart beat faster. The bus stop, she needed to get to the bus stop.

The bus stop was at the top of a hill. As soon as she crested it, the small terminal would be in sight. She just needed a few more steps.

A hulking figure jumped in front of her from a space between two buildings. She tried to dodge, but he put his arm out and grabbed her. He covered her mouth and pulled her into the alley, her follower going too.

Rapunzel had been ambushed.

The men took her deep into the alley. She tried to resist. She kicked, bit, licked, scratched, but it did nothing. Her captor's grip was strong, his arm the size of a table leg. He let her go, throwing her against the garbage dumpster. Her back cracked against the metal. She stood shakily up, taking a big breath of air, ready to scream. A gun was pointed in her face. She swallowed the air. Rapunzel stared down the barrel and all she could see was fear.

"We just want to talk," said one of the towering men. It was the one who had followed her.

He was ugly; not as ugly as Jeff, but still not pretty to look at. His features were bloated, all except his eyes, which were set far into his face, giving the illusion that they were small, like a pig's. He had red hair and a great big scar running down the side of his face. The other man was just as ugly. In fact, he was as ugly: he was identical to the other man, except, he had an eye patch and a scar on his chin. He was the one holding the gun. The other man had a knife he swung in his hand. Rapunzel looked up at them, petrified.

"Talk about what?" If she did what they wanted, she might not get hurt.

"Well, you see, we have a friend in common."

"We do?"

"Yeah, Eugene Fitzherbert. You know him."

"Know him?"

"We've seen you walking out of his bar at night. Hard to miss a blonde head like that." Rapunzel shook her head.

"I only know Eugene in passing. I don't really know, know him."

"Well, that's funny. We've seen him with his arm around you. Unless, you spread your legs for anybody?" The man with the scar turned to Eye Patch, grinning. He turned back to Rapunzel. "We've been wanting to talk to Eugene for awhile now, but we seem to keep missing each other."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"See, we and Eugene go way back. We used to run the underground of a whole section of this city, but then, the mother fucker went and stabbed us in the back. Now, does that seem right to you?" Rapunzel shook her head. "Now, we've gotten into bigger and better things and we're willing to forgive and forget, but he's got to come back to the gang. He ever mention us?"

"Eugene mentions a lot of things."

"Heh, I'm sure he does. We're the Stabbington brothers. We've got a pretty big operation here in New Sonnenburg. Drugs, smuggling, counterfeiting, even some things we won't mention to a pretty face like you." Rapunzel gulped. "We're willing to let our old buddy back in, but only if he's willing to kiss our feet. Get it?" The brother leaned over Rapunzel. She shrunk back against the dumpster. She needed to keep the conversation going, wishing that they would just pull the gun out of her face.

"Why tell me this?"

"Because, we need a messenger and you spend an awful lot of time with him. So, why don't you be a good little girl and tell him for us."

"Sure, whatever you want. I'll tell him. I'll tell him. Go back to the gang or you'll break his legs, right?"

"Ooh, she's a smart one." The brother with the knife grinned at his twin. He slipped his knife into a sheath at his belt. Thinking she was safe, Rapunzel moved a foot to get away from the two.

Eye Patch fired a shot at her. It whizzed past her ear, making her stop. She smelled the singed air. She looked at the two, horrified. The scarred brother clicked his tongue.

"Looks like someone is a little too eager to leave. It'd be such a shame if we let you go without a parting gift." The brother with only the scar put his face close to Rapunzel's. He slipped his hand behind her, placing it on her back. He brought his other hand up to her face and stroked her chin. "We'd be gentle, unless you like it rough."

_Oh, dear, God in heaven, they're going to _RAPE_ me!_

Rapunzel squirmed to get out of the man's grasp. He let her go, but grabbed her arm, squeezing too tight. Rapunzel was sure he'd snap it in half. She stopped struggling just enough to keep the pain down. He jerked her around, putting his putrid breath in her face again.

"Looks like someone wants it rough." Rapunzel glowered at the man and then spat in his eye. He cried out in shock and threw her to the ground, wiping the saliva from his face. Rapunzel scrambled to her feet, taking up a metal pipe that had just been lying there. And just in time too. Eye Patch was coming towards her. He pointed the gun in her direction, but she swung the pipe on his wrist. The gun fell from his hand and he clutched his wrist in pain. Rapunzel dropped her makeshift weapon and ran. She didn't stop running until she got to the bus stop and thanked heaven that the bus was there. She got on, paid her fee and sat in the back.

Rapunzel tried to control her breathing, but it was hard. She shook all over.

_They were going to rape me. They were going to rape me._

The bus reached Clairbourne Road and Rapunzel got off. She looked over her shoulder, glancing at everyone, suspicious and terrified. She got to Flynnigan's Tower of Books bookstore and went to the back stairs. She fumbled with the locks and got inside.

She was so thankful Eugene was not home. She did not want him to see her like this. She sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. She didn't care if there wasn't anything on. She needed to drown out her thoughts.


	10. Chapter 10

_Knights in shining armor don't really exist anymore, but, there are still men who will ride to the defense of a damsel in distress. Sometimes they're fathers, brothers, teachers, doctors or lawyers. Or maybe, they're already your hero, riding their own crusade just for you._

Chapter 10 – Knight of Lady Luck

Rapunzel texted Eugene she got home safe.

[Great. The crowd's thin tonight, so it looks like I'll be home early.]

Rapunzel did not respond to this text.

[Rapunzel?]

[Didn't see it right away. Come home safe.]

[Will do.]

Rapunzel hoped he did.

She was still curled up in a ball on the couch. She'd wrapped the couch blanket around her, burying herself in as far in as she could. All that was visible was her face and her arm that held the channel changer.

It was late, after midnight. She had not moved once. There really was nothing on TV. She had had a Nova on, news, a black and white show called _Perry Mason_ on, Craig Ferguson, and _She-ra: Princess of Power_. She was flipping channels, looking for anything mind numbing and senseless. She had gone around five times when there was a scraping sound on the front door handle and a key turning the lock. Eugene walked in, sighing. He hung up his coat and left his bag by the door. He saw Rapunzel sitting on the couch, washed out by the flashing of the TV channels. She had no lights on. Eugene was surprised to see Rapunzel still up. He crossed the room to her.

"Rapunzel."

Rapunzel jumped. Her arm flashed and her hand wacked right across Eugene's face. He stumbled back, shocked. Rapunzel saw it was him. She apologized immediately.

"Eugene, I am so sorry," she said, going to him. "I didn't hear you come in."

"It's okay." He rubbed his cheek, astonished that Rapunzel had such a strong swing. "What are you still doing up?"

"I…." Rapunzel looked at the floor. She twisted her fingers together. Concerned, Eugene put a hand on her arm.

"Rapunzel?"

"Ah!" Rapunzel gasped in pain. She stepped away from Eugene, her hand going to her upper arm.

"What's wrong?" Eugene took a footstep to her. Rapunzel pulled up her sleeve. There were five, perfectly round bruises, four on one side, one on the other. Eugene recognized the pattern instantly and his mouth hardened. He went in to the kitchen and came back with an ice pack. He sat Rapunzel down and held the pack to her arm. He looked her squarely in the eye. "Rapunzel what happened? Who did that to you?" His voice was serious, like the night he'd come to pick her up from the hospital.

"I was…" Rapunzel felt like she was going to cry. She paused to fight back the emotion. "I was…cornered by…two people. Two men." Eugene's face tightened. His eyes grew wide with the information and Rapunzel was sure a fire was burning in them.

"What did they do to you?"

"They… they threw me around and… and talked to me…they…they said they knew you…they, they acted like they were going to rape me!" Rapunzel's eyes brimmed with tears. She could no longer hold them back. Eugene's arms went around her and she became limp, letting him support her as she cried. He gently patted her back, waiting for her sobs to subside before he asked his next question.

"What did they look like?" Eugene's voice was low and strained to not break with rage.

"They looked related," Rapunzel whispered into Eugene's chest. "Big, red hair, one had an eye patch, the other had a scar down the side of his face." Eugene stopped rubbing Rapunzel's back. With her head to his chest, Rapunzel heard his heart start beating quicker. She pulled away and looked at him.

He was staring at something she could not see. All the color had drained from his face and it was unreadable. The vein in his throat was pulsing again. His breathing was becoming shallow and his eyes darkened. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. The backs of his hands showed his veins, running hot with indignation. Rapunzel extended a hand towards him.

"Eugene?" He stood up and stomped to the door, opening it roughly and grabbing his coat off the wall. He slammed the door shut, rattling the wall. Rapunzel heard him lock it. It took a second or two for Rapunzel to realize what Eugene was going to do. She scrambled to pick up her phone. Mr. Hook was her first contact in her speed dial list. She shook her leg, waiting for him to pick up. He did after four rings.

"Uhllo?" She must have woken him up.

"Mr. Hook!"

"Rapunzel?"

"Yes. Listen to me, Eugene is about to do something stupid." Rapunzel's voice trembled. She took a breath, hoping it would calm her.

"What?"

"I told him that two men attacked me today."

"WHAT? Are you alright?"

"Yes, but, please, listen to me! It was people Eugene knows. The, The Stabb-something brothers." Mr. Hook was quiet on the other line for a second.

"Son of a bi- Rapunzel, stay in the apartment. I'll take care of Eugene, alright? Do not leave the apartment."

"Okay." Rapunzel nodded, even though Mr. Hook couldn't see her.

Mr. Hook said good-bye and he hung up. Rapunzel ended the call and looked at her phone. Should she call Eugene and tell him to stop? Would he listen to her? Would he even pick up? Rapunzel did not think so. She got off the couch and looked out the window. She looked up to the sky. There were very few stars thanks to light pollution, but she did see one that was bright. She knew it was not the evening star. Rapunzel put her head against the pane of glass.

"Please, please let Eugene come home safe." Rapunzel was not sure who she was talking to.

Mr. Hook had called Vlad, Jeff, and Max. Max had just gotten off duty and picked everyone up in his squad car.

"Any idea where that idiot would have gone looking for them," asked Max.

"Rapunzel said they cornered her. It must have been around her work."

"You think they're still around," suggested Jeff.

"Wouldn't doubt it," Max said as he turned to go downtown. "Those two aren't smart enough to change their location. Plus, I think they have a hideout around there." Max drove to Sea Shell Paint and told everyone to keep their eyes peeled. He turned towards the bus stop, driving slowly. Few people were out, mostly bums filtering through dumpsters. One actually hailed Max's car. Being an officer, he had to stop.

"What seems to be the problem?"

"Well, officer," said the homeless man, "I's just heard a scuffle of sorts going on."

"Where?"

"Up the street and around the corner. I's decided to not get involved. Looked a little messy to me."

"Yes, thank you. Good evening." Max rolled up his window. "That's probably Eugene." He took the man's directions. The others looked to either side of the street, straining to see any hint of movement.

"Over there!" Jeff pointed to a dim lit alley. Max stopped the car and everyone filed out. They heard Eugene yelling, screaming, at the top his lungs. Someone was grunting and they heard the sound of a fist connecting with a face. Max pulled out his flash light and shined it down the alley.

One man was on the ground, a small pool of blood under his head. Eugene had the other brother up against the wall, repeatedly punching him in the face, his other arm pressing hard against his throat. He wasn't stopping, even as he saw he was knocking him senseless.

"You stay away from her!" Eugene's punches were timed with his words. "You stay the fuck away from her!"

Vlad was the first one to come down on Eugene, but he somehow broke free, hitting Vlad in the gut. The other brother had fallen to his knees and Eugene grabbed his collar and started his rain of blows again. The man's neck was flopping back and forth, his eyes barely open. Blood spurted from his face as Eugene continued to wail on him.

"Don't you EVER come near her again!" This time, both Vlad and Mr. Hook took hold of Eugene. They pulled his arms behind his back and Jeff held his shoulders down. Eugene struggled as they dragged him away. He'd gone berserk, thrashing around, madly howling at the two.

"Do you understand me? I'll kill you! If you ever touch her again, I will kill you! I will FUCKING KILL YOU!" The three men pulled Eugene out of the alley as Max went to the brother on the ground and checked his pulse. He still had one. The other brother sat slumped against the wall. He was having a hard time keeping his head up. As he checked the area, Max saw a few teeth scattered around the ground. He wondered if any could be Eugene's. Didn't really look like it; Eugene had better teeth. Max decided to call the two injured in later.

He left the alley and walked over to where the group was standing under a street light. Eugene had calmed down a bit. His breath was ragged and his eyes were still wide with fury. He didn't look up when Max walked over. Maybe he should have. Max punched Eugene in the face. He stumbled back a bit and would have fallen if Max had not grabbed a hold of his shirt collar.

"What the fuck, man? That's police brutality!"

"Shut the hell up, I'm off duty. I could hit you with my flashlight, and I can guarantee you, you will go down. What the hell were you thinking? What if you'd done something worse than just beat them up? You do realize you threatened to kill them in the presence of an officer! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't haul your sorry ass to the station right now?" Eugene said nothing. He put his hand over Max's.

"Let go of me, dick." He pulled Max's hand from his collar. "They deserved it."

"I'm going to need a better reason than that." Max crossed his arms.

"Oh, go piss up a rope, you fucking ass wipe." Max raised his fist to hit Eugene again, but Eugene bent over in exhaustion and pain. His adrenaline was gone. He put one hand on his knee and tried to breathe even. Max looked at him and realized just how beat up he was.

A black eye was forming, spreading over more than just his eye. He had a large cut on his forehead and scratch marks across his cheek. His bottom lip was fat and inflamed with blood. The knuckles of his right hand were cracked and bleeding. They looked off; one knuckle was completely gone and another was split in two, instead of one. Eugene's hand kept going to his left side every time he tried to take a breath.

"Eugene, is one or your ribs broken," Jeff asked, offering to hold him up.

"Probably. Feels like it. There's your reason, Officer Mustain," Eugene said snidely to Max. "I need to go to the hospital." Max bared his teeth at Eugene. It was a pretty good reason. He looked terrible.

They took him to the squad car, easing him into the front seat. He gasped every time someone touched his side. Vlad and Jeff said they'd catch a bus; there wasn't enough room in the back seat for all three. As Max started up the car, he looked over at his best friend. His eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open. He still had a hand over his ribs.

_Bastard_, he thought,_ he still gets under my skin._ Max drove away from the scene and headed towards St. Augustine's Hospital. He told Mr. Hook to call 911 for the two Stabbington brothers. Hook did as he was told. After he'd finished the call, Mr. Hook tore into Eugene.

"After all these years, Eugene, I still need to come pick your ass up. Max has a point; why shouldn't he arrest you? What are your parents going to think when they hear about this?" Mr. Hook waited for an answer.

"I have no idea," was all Eugene said. He closed his eyes and tried to not think about the pain. He thought about Rapunzel instead and hoped she was worried about him. That thought made the pain subside just a bit.


	11. Chapter 11

_I don't care what happens to me. My lot in life has been given. All the heartache I've ever felt, I've just learned to accept it. I don't cry for myself and I've never cried for anyone else. I never cared enough to, but he got under my skin and I couldn't help it. _

Chapter 11 – Not Such a Lucky Night

Raven had come over to keep Rapunzel company while they waited to hear from the guys. Her phone rang about forty minutes after she got there. It was Jeff.

"We found Eugene. Max and Mr. Hook are taking him to the hospital."

"My, God, is he alright?"

"Oh, sure. He came out better than the other two. Probably has a broken rib though, so make sure Rapunzel knows not to attack him on sight."

"Got it." They said good-bye and Raven hung up. Rapunzel was looking at her, expectant. Raven smiled at her. "They found him."

"Oh, thank God." Rapunzel fell back against the couch and put her hands over her face.

"Jeff said they're taking him to the hospital. I guess he didn't come out completely unscathed. Might have a broken rib, so don't glomp him." Rapunzel pulled her hands from her eyes.

"This is my fault."

"No, it's not, Rapunzel. Eugene is a time-bomb. Every one knows that and then he explodes sometimes. He just isn't quite sure how to deal with his rage. And I think it's sweet that he went to defend your honor. How many guys will still do that?" Raven continued to talk, but Rapunzel's mind wandered back to that conversation she'd had with Max about Eugene's past. She remembered what he said about his dad.

_Maybe rage can be genetic_, she thought.

Raven insisted she stay until Eugene came home, which was at 4:46 a.m. There was a click from the door knob and there was Eugene, flagged by Mr. Hook and Max. All three of them looked tired, Eugene especially.

His coat had been thrown over his shoulders and blood stains spotted his shirt. It had been cut down the center and Rapunzel could just see wrappings over his chest. He looked like he'd gotten beaten by three ugly sticks. The left side of his face was swollen; his eye barely visible from the bloated skin, and it was a mesh of blue, red, purple, and yellow. He had a fat lip and a piece of gauze was taped above his left eyebrow. A square band-aid was on his right cheek. He had an arm stabilizer on his left side, the kind that holds the arm in place with a thick piece of foam that is put parallel to the body. His right hand was in a blue cast: his first two fingers were separated from the rest of his fingers and his thumb was in its own section of the cast. He looked absolutely terrible. Rapunzel wondered what the other two looked like.

She and Raven stood up. Rapunzel walked to Eugene, grateful he wasn't worse.

"Eugene," she put her hand up to touch his face. He walked past her, not meeting her eyes. He took his jacket off and put it over the back of the couch and then gingerly sat down. He slowly leaned back and let out a deep sigh. She looked at him, confused. She turned back to the others.

"Thank you for finding him."

"Wish we'd found him sooner," Max said, glaring across the way at Eugene.

"Well," said Raven, "that's my cue to leave." She hugged Rapunzel. "See you later, sweetie. I've got to get home and uh, get ready for work. Good-bye, Mr. Hook, Max," she paused, "Eugene." Eugene said nothing to her. She gave him an irritated frown. She left the apartment, waving.

"Well, it's late, and I'm an old man," Mr. Hook said. "It's way past my bed time, course, this isn't anything I'm not used to. Good night, Rapunzel, Eugene."

"See you later," he said back, still not looking towards the door. Mr. Hook hugged Rapunzel and she kissed his cheek, whispering a thank you in his ear. As he left, Rapunzel heard Mr. Hook mumble something crude that he probably meant for Eugene to hear. Max watched him leave.

"I've got to head out too. I'm supposed to be at work at noon. It'd be nice if I could get some sleep before then." Max leaned down to give Rapunzel a hug with one arm. He rubbed her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. He stood up. "Good bye, Rapunzel." He looked at his best friend sitting on the couch. "Eugene."

"Max."

The air crackled between them. Rapunzel's hair stood up on the back of her neck. She glanced between the two. She was sure they were going to start a yelling match any second. But they didn't. Max just walked away. Rapunzel heard him clomp down the stairs. She closed the door and locked it. She turned to Eugene.

He was breathing slowly, his eyes closed. He looked so tired and...vulnerable. But Rapunzel wasn't going to just let all this be swept under the rug. She pounded over to Eugene and stood in front of him, her hands on her hips. Eugene's eyes were still closed.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't slap you right now?" Eugene opened his eyes. He stared at Rapunzel, speechless. She had his attention. "I didn't know what you were thinking. You just suddenly left and," Rapunzel's voice caught. She tried to stay strong. "I do not appreciate that you left the apartment so late at night." She had no idea what she was saying, but she tried to keep it going. "Are you stupid or something? What if something had happened to you?" She was finding it harder and harder to keep her voice from cracking. "I was so, so, worried about you…" She couldn't hold her tears back anymore. Rapunzel kneeled on the floor in front of Eugene and put her head on one of his legs. "I was so woooorried about yoooo," she sobbed. Her shoulders shook and she took big gulps of air. She looked up at him, her green eyes glistening with emotion. "What if something worse had happened to you, Eugene?" Eugene gazed at Rapunzel, perplexed. He'd never seen her worried about him before. He smiled gently at her and pulled her chin up.

"But nothing worse did happen." Rapunzel pulled her face from Eugene's hand and sat down on the couch next to him, staying on the right, less injured side.

"That doesn't change anything! You didn't think ahead. What would I have done if something really bad happened to you? I was so worried."

"About me?"

"Yes, you idiot," Rapunzel snapped at him. She sighed and took Eugene's casted hand. He wished he could feel her touch. She looked him in the eye, daring him to look away from her gaze. "I like you, Eugene. You're a nice guy, too nice for your own good, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you." Rapunzel slid her hand up his arm and rested her head against him. "I don't ever want you to get hurt again," she mumbled.

Eugene was baffled. Rapunzel was saying she cared about him. Him. He had no idea what to say or do. He looked down at her; tears clung to her lashes and she sniffled. Eugene had to fight down the urge to kiss her.

"They were going to hurt you, Rapunzel," he said, wishing his other arm wasn't constricted; he wanted to hold her. "I couldn't just do nothing."

"Eugene, I'd rather let myself be hurt than you. You're too good of a friend to lose."

Friend. She used the word 'friend.'

Eugene sighed, then yawned.

"Well, Blondie, it's been a long a night." Rapunzel took her head off of Eugene's arm and let him go.

"Right, long night. The sun'll be rising soon. You can have the bed. I'll take the couch."

"Alright." Eugene rocked on the couch to get up. Rapunzel stood and helped him. She kept her hand on his chest as she led him to the bedroom; he leaned on her a bit for support. When they got in the room, Rapunzel turned to leave. "Uh, Rapunzel, can you help me get my shirt off," Eugene asked lamely. He seemed embarrassed that he couldn't get it off himself. She looked at him like a started animal.

"Uh, okay." Eugene walked her through how to get the stabilizer off. She undid the Velcro and carefully took it off. He sucked in his breath tightly when she accidently ran her hand over his side.

"Sorry."

"It's alright," he breathed out.

She put her hands on his cut shirt and pulled it off like it was a vest. Her face got very close to his bandaged chest. She felt his body heat, heard his heart. She noticed all the little white lines across his chest that the tape did not cover. His scent was forced up her nose: Old Spice, leather, coffee, and night air. She pulled back, her head fuzzy.

"Uh, do you want a night shirt on?" Rapunzel felt like it was a stupid question.

"Ah, yeah. There's a button up one in my bottom draw. Rapunzel went and got it. She also grabbed a pair of pj bottoms. Eugene put his arms behind him and Rapunzel slipped the sleeves up his arms. She came to his front and tentatively put her hands up to button the shirt. Eugene didn't say anything, so she continued. She gave him his pants, hoping she wouldn't have to dress _that_ part.

"Thanks, Blondie, I can take it from here." She held back sighing in relief.

"Alright. Good night, Eugene."

"Night. Thanks, Rapunzel."

"You're welcome." Rapunzel closed the door. She sat down on the couch.

She actually wasn't tired. The night's events had worked her into such a frenzy; she was too nervous to sleep.

"Ugh, I have class tomorrow… today. Uh…" She got off the couch and went into the spare room. She flipped on the light and grabbed a pair of her pajamas off the rack in the closet, when she heard Eugene calling for her. She hurried back to his room.

"Eugene, are you alright?" She could not keep the alarm out of her voice. She found him sitting on the bed.

"Rapunzel," he whined, "I can't lie down on the bed." Rapunzel almost laughed at how pathetic he sounded.

"Is that all? Geez, Eugene, you had my heart leaping out of its chest." She crossed to him. "Here, put your legs up on the bed." Eugene did as he was told, very slowly. Rapunzel leaned his pillows against the headboard. She then put her hands on his back. "Relax." He did. Rapunzel put him down softly, pulling out a pillow so his head wouldn't lie so awkward. She pulled the blankets up to his chest. "Comfortable," she asked.

"Very." He took her hand. "Again, thank you." Rapunzel smiled down at him.

"I think I should be the one thanking you." And then, Rapunzel did something she never thought she would ever do. She leaned over Eugene, brushed hair out of his eyes and kissed his brow.

She stood up too quickly. Eugene let go of her hand and Rapunzel hurried out of the room, mumbling a good night and turning out the light. She closed the door, but didn't let go of the handle. Her heart was palpating at an alarming rate. She felt it everywhere in her body: her fingertips, her legs, her ears. Her knees knocked together as she stood. Her face was so hot. She went to the kitchen and got herself a glass of water. She took it to the couch and sat down. She looked out the window and saw that the sun was rising. Now she really couldn't sleep. Rapunzel decided she wasn't going to go to class or to work; she wasn't going to leave Eugene for a second.

Meanwhile, Eugene was staring up at the ceiling, not really being able to move because of his broken rib. His forehead was hot where Rapunzel's lips had been. He closed his eyes, trying to sleep, but all he saw was Rapunzel, crying for him.


	12. Chapter 12

_Love is a very finicky thing. When you realize you love someone, you either accept it, or run into it like a brick wall._

Chapter 12 – Lucky Love

Eugene was doing better. You could no longer hear his ribs crack when he moved and he could lie down by himself now. Rapunzel had been sleeping on the couch for three weeks and she was beginning to get a crick in her neck. She tried to hide it from Eugene, because she knew he would insist she take the bed. She didn't mind; it was the least she could do for him.

No one except Rapunzel had spoken to Eugene for an entire week after the fight. That was his punishment; being ostracized. Eugene didn't mind; Rapunzel was paying an awful lot of attention to him, so he didn't need anyone else.

When Eugene decided he was well enough to go back to work (much to the protests of Rapunzel and everyone else), Rapunzel was scared that the Stabbington brothers would show up again, but after a few days, there was no report of the two. No one in the group wanted to take any chances though. If Rapunzel didn't work too late, she would go home with Raven. The school she worked at was in the area and she took the same bus to get home. Five o'clock, everyday, Rapunzel would wait inside Sea Shell Paint for Raven to show up. The two women would then take the bus to Rapunzel and Eugene's apartment and Raven would sit around, lolling about until Rapunzel or Eugene would shoo her out.

The incident with the Stabbington brothers was more or less behind Rapunzel. She still looked over her shoulder when she was walking down the street, even if she was with Raven, but she told herself things could have been worse. They could have actually raped her.

Since Rapunzel and Raven were going home together, Rapunzel was becoming more and more open with her. At first, Rapunzel didn't want to share anything with the busy body, but the woman had real charms when it came to being a friend. Rapunzel had never had a 'girlfriend' before, only Pascal, so, it was a whole new experience for her, and she was learning new experiences weren't that bad. Raven told her things about married life, without getting too deep, and funny stories from work. Rapunzel, likewise confided in her, even gave her suggestions for her class.

"If you ever have a day where you don't want to make a lesson plan, I could always come in and have an art day with the kids," Rapunzel had told her one day.

"Ooh, that'd be fun, but no finger painting. There was a kid who ruined a perfectly good pair of pants with a green hand print."

After a little bit of time, Rapunzel felt comfortable enough to talk to Raven about personal things. One day, Rapunzel actually told Raven that she had kissed Eugene the night of the fight. She was hoping for some guiding advice, that would explain her irrational behavior, but instead, Raven looked at her like a cat eyeing a mouse.

"And," she asked.

"And…what?"

"Did anything else happen?"

"No…"

"Nothing went further?" Raven moved her hips to get her point across.

"Oh, Raven, no, no! Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Well that's boring. Course, I'd be surprised if Eugene could even do it with a broken rib; he did look pretty bad. I suppose cowgirl style would suffice."

"Subject change!"

"What, you brought it up," Raven said back, laughing at Rapunzel's red cheeks.

"I only brought it up because… I want to know what you think I should do…as a friend."

The two were riding on the bus, heading towards the apartment. Rapunzel twisted her hair around her finger. Raven stared at her, confused.

"What you should do? I think I'll need to know what you didn't do, first. If you kissed Eugene, shouldn't you two be… dating? I mean, you're already living together."

"As friends," Rapunzel said defensively. "And the kiss, it was… sort of…a moment, thing, you know? He took my hand, he looked at me, and… I just kissed his forehead."

"Just his forehead? Well, that's cute, but, how does Eugene feel about this?"

The bus stopped on Clairboure Road and Rapunzel and Raven got off. They walked to Flynnigan's Tower of Books bookstore.

"I don't know. We actually haven't…talked about it," Rapunzel mumbled meekly. Raven slapped her face.

"Good Lord, could you two move any slower?" Raven shook her head as the two started up the stairs. "Are you two Amish, or something? The spark is there, just go for it!" Rapunzel rolled his eyes as she unlocked the door to get into the apartment. Raven kicked her shoes off in the entry room and followed Rapunzel in.

Eugene wasn't home. Rapunzel found a note on the kitchen table saying he was taking a shift at Vlad's and he'd been home at ten. She sighed. She wished he wouldn't push himself so hard.

"What's that?" Raven peered over Rapunzel's shoulder.

"Oh, Eugene is working at Vlad's tonight," said Rapunzel as she crumpled the note. "I wish he wouldn't."

"Should he even?"

"No. He still can't lift things. Honestly, he makes so mad sometimes."

Rapunzel started heating a kettle of water for tea while Raven sat down at the table. She pulled out a schedule book and began to scribble in the dates. After awhile, Raven eyed Rapunzel as she worked around the kitchen, putting dishes in the dishwasher and pulling food out for dinner.

"Eugene's at Vlad's," Raven said, "why are you pulling out food for him?"

"He won't work long. He'll be home at ten."

"Ah. You know, you baby him too much." Rapunzel shrugged.

The kettle sang and Rapunzel poured the water into a tea pot she had prepared. She dropped a tea bag in and turned to Raven, her hands on the counter.

"He's done so much for me; I just do what I can for him." Raven clicked her tongue.

"That's an excuse and you know it. You know, you never really said how you feel about Eugene going off to beat those two up. We all know how the rest of us feel, but what about you?" Raven put her hands up on the table and leaned in.

"Does it matter? What's done is done. I wish he hadn't, but everything is fine now." Even as Rapunzel said this, she didn't believe it. She was still furious with Eugene for his heated behavior, but what could she do about it? She already scolded him and things were done. She just tried to not let the memory get to her.

"Oh, Rapunzel," moaned Raven as she put her head in hands. "You are just too adorable." Raven looked sternly at Rapunzel. "You need to analyze this; Eugene did something crazy for you and then, you kiss him. What does that add up to?" Rapunzel said nothing. Raven tried not to scream. "You like him!" Rapunzel scoffed and turned back to stir the tea bag. "Don't brush that away. It's true. Just admit it! I don't think Eugene would rebuke you. I mean, seriously, how many guys will go beat up two thugs twice their size just for a girl."

"Jeff would."

"My Jeff is a special case, and we're talking about you. Come on, Rapunzel, do you like Eugene or not?" Rapunzel stared at the floor. She chewed at her bottom lip.

Her heart fluttered every time he looked at her. Her eyes screamed to look away when their gazes locked, because he made her so nervous. His voice sent a flurry of butterflies swarming in her stomach. Her knees knocked together whenever just one of his fingers barely brushed her skin.

"I do…think…I have feelings for him," Rapunzel mumbled.

"But do you like him?"

"I….I don't want to." Raven blinked her eyes.

"What?"

"I don't want to have these feelings that I keep having for Eugene," Rapunzel shouted as she threw her hands up. She pulled out a chair and banged her head on the table. She left it there. "I'm so confused…" Raven patted Rapunzel's head.

"That happens when you're in love." Raven paused. "Why don't you want to have feelings for Eugene? He's a nice guy, good looking, smart, stable."

"I know all that," Rapunzel muttered into the table. "Most girls would probably die to have him as their boyfriend, but…I'm not like most girls."

"Well, we all know that," Raven smiled. "So, what's the problem? You like him, it's not that complicated. Just tell him, I'm sure he won't tell you to go away."

"That's what I'm worried about most and that's what makes it complicated." Rapunzel lifted her head to put her chin on the edge of the table. "I know Eugene likes me," Rapunzel's head bounced as she talked. "I see it when he looks at me, but…relationships mean intimacy." She looked up at Raven, wincing. "And intimacy means sex." Rapunzel paused. She squeezed her eyes shut and whispered, "I'm scared to have sex." Raven's eyebrow's came down.

"Because you almost got raped?"

"No…" Rapunzel's head came up. "I've been scared of sex for longer than that. Since high school," she mumbled. She took a breath. "There was a story about a girl who bled down there during sex and…."

"Ah, now I understand." Raven took Rapunzel's hand. "I figured you were a virgin the moment I laid eyes on you. Rapunzel, you've been raised and taught to fear sex." Rapunzel looked at her, confused.

"What?"

"Rapunzel, think about it; your whole life, people have been telling you to not have sex, sex is bad. There's the risk of pregnancy, the risk of STD's, and pain, if your partner is rough, which is all true and one should always be careful, but that's not all sex is. Now, you and I have got a few years between us-"

"A decade."

"Shut up, and I'm sure the way things are taught in high school have changed, but, when I got sex education, they actually told us about it. Your problem is you only know the bad parts." Rapunzel stared at Raven. "What I'm saying is this; you've been conditioned to fear sex, even when you don't know anything about it." Rapunzel was becoming upset.

"You make it sound like I'm being completely silly for being scared of sex." Rapunzel pulled her hand from Raven's and went to pour herself a cup of tea.

"No, Rapunzel, I'm not saying that at all. I'm trying to help you get past your fear. If that's all that's holding you back from Eugene, it's not that big of a mountain."

"Not that big of a mountain?" Now Rapunzel was mad. She slammed her mug of tea on the table. "How exactly is it not that big of a mountain? It's how ALL relationships involving love end up. And I'm scared of it. How is it _not_ a mountain, Raven?"

"Rapunzel, calm down, please." Rapunzel crossed her arms and tapped her fingers. Raven sighed. "I'm only telling you this because you're my friend and I want to see you happy, and I know you'd be happy with Eugene. You already are, even without sex. Come on, sit back down and let me pull my foot out of my mouth." Rapunzel sat and clicked her nails on her cup. She became very interested in the gold color of her tea. "I'm not telling you to go and have sex; I would never tell anyone that. If you're uncomfortable with it, okay. It's your decision, but, you like Eugene, right?" Rapunzel nodded. "Well, then nothing should stop you from just being with him, just even holding hands or having gooey picnics."

"Heh, you sound like Jeff."

"I should, he gave me this speech too." Rapunzel looked up, surprised.

"Wha-"

"Yeah, I was a real Mary Sue. I knew more about sex than you do, but I still didn't want to do it. That's why I didn't want to get married. Then I met Jeff and when he proposed to me, I-I broke down crying. I explained to him that I couldn't marry him, because I didn't want to have sex, and you know what he told me." Rapunzel shook her head. "He told me, 'we don't have to have sex, I just want to spend the rest of my life together with you.'" Raven smiled at the memory. "I knew right then and there that he was the one. And I also knew that I could be with him. He made all my fears go away." Raven grew silent. She suddenly remembered where she was going and turned to Rapunzel. "Do you get what I'm saying?"

"I guess," Rapunzel said. "If it's with someone you love and if they love you, it's not as bad." Raven almost laughed.

"Well, yeah, I suppose that's part of it, but I'm also saying, if you're afraid now, you might not be later, if you're willing to have the strength to go after what you want. Don't be afraid of what _might_ happen, because that's the future. Go for the now."

"Well, that's all fine and dandy, but I'm not you. I can't just forget my fear. Just the thought of…being that close," Rapunzel shuddered. "…my biggest fear is that it will hurt."

"Well," Raven said, putting her hand in her chin, "it depends on the woman. When the man goes to penetrate the woman for the first time, he has to break the hymen, and depending on the size and/or thickness of the hymen, depends on if it hurts or not. It also depends on if the woman is nervous; that makes her tight and the sex is bad." Rapunzel blinked, thinking that would chase the science lecture out of the head. "If a woman has a large hymen, they really won't feel a thing, but if it's small, it might hurt, but only for a little while. It's polite if the man doesn't move right away after first going in; let the pain subside. Then, if the man does it right, sex can be…" she grinned, "pretty enjoyable. Even the first time."

"That's what people keep saying, but it doesn't help me."

"I know that." Raven placed a hand on Rapunzel's arm. "So I have two suggestions. First, research sex. The more you know, the less afraid you'll be." Rapunzel opened her mouth to protest. "Now, I know it might seem a little weird, but you might be surprised by what you learn. And my second suggestion is as a friend; go after Eugene. He'll help you get past this and if he cares about you, he'll wait." Raven smiled at Rapunzel. She grinned back, weakly. Raven looked at the clock. "Well, I better get a-going. We've got a field trip tomorrow to the zoo." Raven stood up. Rapunzel did too and followed her friend to the door.

"Raven, I'm sorry I snapped at you. I know you were only trying to help."

"Oh, it's alright, sweetie. I actually get snapped at a lot. I overstep _a lot _of boundaries." Rapunzel laughed. Raven hugged Rapunzel before she left. "Eugene is a good guy. If he wants what you want, he won't push you. He'll wait. I know he will." Raven squeezed Rapunzel tight. "I'll see you later."

"Have fun at the zoo."

"Oh, yeah, cause it's so much fun keeping twenty six kids out of the lion's den." Rapunzel waved Raven out the door. She closed it and went back to the kitchen. She looked at the clock. The small hand was at the six; the big hand was at the twelve. Eugene would be home in four hours. She decided to get his dinner started.

Eugene's back was to Max, so his best friend did not see him moving his mouth in a mocking manner.

"You really are stupid, aren't you? It's been three weeks. It takes at least six weeks for breaks to heal and ribs are touchy when it comes to healing. You still look like you got chewed up by a Decpticon, I hope you realize, which means you look terrible. Can you even breath properly yet? You should be at home, letting Rapunzel baby you."

"Rapunzel has not been babying me."

"Oh, I'm sure she hasn't." Eugene turned to Max and gave him his Guinness, putting it a little hard on the table. "Hey, watch it man."

"Sorry." Eugene didn't mean it. "And I don't look that bad anymore. At least my left eye isn't still swollen."

"It's still bruised."

Eugene and Max were still acting like two brick walls arguing at each other to move. The two friends were at an impasse of sorts in their conversations. They were walking on eggshells around each other and were mainly just seeing who could get whose goat first. Both understood where the other was coming from, concerning the Stabbington incident, but they were guys, and guys don't discuss their feelings.

"I don't know why you're getting on my case, Max. The doctor said if I wear the stabilizer, I could work and I'm only serving drinks at the bar."

"Of which, you really can't handle with the cast. And you shouldn't be lifting anything over ten pounds."

"And a wine bottle is two. Vlad isn't having me do extraneous stuff, so, chill man." Eugene leaned on the counter. Max took a draft from his glass, glaring at him from over the edge. He set the glass down.

"You know, you're lucky those two are criminals, otherwise, they'd have gone to the police. Do you realize you cracked the younger one's skull? And the other guy had a concussion and you punched out practically all his teeth." Eugene brought his casted hand up to his face and blew on it, like it was a smoking gun. "And you're proud of that."

"Hell, yes. Come on, Max, they should have known what they were getting into. I told them when I left the gang not to bother me. And now, they won't go near Rapunzel either."

"You sound awfully sure of that."

"I don't know, officer, what does the station say?"

"They say they want to find the guy who beat 'em up, give him a medal and then charge him with aggravated battery. Eugene, this is serious. You could have killed them." Eugene said nothing. "If it was anyone else, you would have gotten your ass in jail."

"Oh, my, God, here we go again. Every time I break someone's nose who I had to throw out of the bar, you swear I'm headed straight for the electric chair!"

"Because you have a past, Eugene. If the people you bounce out of here knew just what sort of a loaded pistol you are, they'd see your fat ass in jail."

"I don't got a big but, you got a big but."

"And then you go and slap my words right back in my face. I'm trying to help you and you never listen."

"Aw, will you look at that, he cares. I'm so lucky," Eugene said in a baby voice.

"Oh, sure, cause nothing says luck like an Irish kiss and a busted lip. Why do you always gotta be such a dick?"

"Dad's a convict, mom's a bitch. Runs in the family." Eugene picked up a bear mug for a man who had ordered a drink.

"Mm-hm. By the way, what'd your parents say about all this?"

"Mom refrained from throttling me, Dad yelled at me. Then I told them it was for a girl, and, hoo-boy, did they hit the roof." Eugene slid the mug down to the man. He caught it and walked back to his booth. "Then they asked me her name, who she is, what she does, when am I bringing her to dinner: usual stuff. Actually, it was mostly Mom asking that."

"Did you tell them you aren't dating her?"

"Course," Eugene said, turning away from Max. "I just said the girl was a friend who almost got hurt, and that my strong sense of justice-."

"Wait, you didn't even tell them her name?"

"Why bother," Eugene turned back to Max. "We aren't dating."

"Oh, I hit a nerve, didn't I?"

"Just a bit." Eugene put his hand up with his index finger and thumb just centimeters apart.

"Dude, why don't you just tell her you like her? It's so painfully obvious, I feel like crying for you."

"Jack off. I can't tell her. I'm afraid she'll freak out. And she called me a friend." Max sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth.

"Ouch. Strong blow below the belt, and right after what you did for her."

"Eh, I don't care too much." It sounded like he cared a lot. "Just seeing she's alright is fine."

"You sure you can handle that forever?" Eugene opened his mouth like he was going to answer, then he closed it. He shook his head.

"I don't know, man."

"What are you all talking 'bout?" Jeff had walked over. He sat down next to Max and glanced between the two.

"Rapunzel called Eugene a friend." Jeff sucked in air between his teeth.

"Ouch, and right after what you did for her."

"That's what I said," Max smiled.

"Oh, come on, guys, it's not that bad," Eugene laughed, putting his arms out like it was no big deal. A man came up to the bar.

"A scotch on the rocks, please," he said.

"Coming right up, sir." Eugene turned to fix the drink. Jeff got an idea.

"Excuse me, sir, we're having a discussion and I think a third opinion would help. What would be your reaction be if I told you that a girl called a man, who likes her, a friend, right after he beat up two guys who attacked her. And got seriously injured doing it." The man sucked in air between his teeth.

"I'd say that's salt in the wound." Eugene turned back to the man with his scotch. He looked solemn.

"Here's your drink," he muttered

"Thank you." The man took it and walked away. Eugene glared at his friends.

"I was not seriously injured."

"You couldn't move on your own for an entire week," Max said.

"I could stand," Eugene said defensively, hitting his left fist against the counter. He jarred his side. His casted hand went to his ribs, but the stabilizer was in the way. Max and Jeff stood up a bit.

"Are you alright."

"Yeah. I'm fine," Eugene said, willing the pain to go away. "It's just tender is all. It'll pass." Max sighed, sitting back down.

"This is why you should be at home, with Rapunzel, letting her baby you."

"She does not baby me!" The sudden intake of breath started up the pain again. He doubled over, groaning.

"Just go home," Max said.

"I've got another hour," Eugene wheezed out.

"Go home."

"You wanna know what I think about this situation with Rapunzel," Jeff asked.

"No," Eugene and Max said together.

"I think" Jeff continued, not caring, "that you should wait for Rapunzel to make a move. The feelings are there, I can tell, but she's a shy girl and from my observations of her, I think she would react negatively to anyone confessing feelings for her. She would probably go into a severe defensive state." Eugene chewed his tongue.

"Actually…she did make a move." Max and Jeff's eyes snapped to attention. "She kissed me. Right after I got home and she put me to bed."

"What?"

"She put you to bed," Max asked. "What are you, four?"

"Dude, she does not see you as a friend if she kissed you," Jeff said, putting an arm up on the counter.

"I think it was sort of a moment thing for her, you know," Eugene stammered out, whishing now he hadn't told them anything. "She got really embarrassed about it and practically ran out of the room. And when she came to check on me, she didn't mention it. She hasn't actually said anything about it, so, I'm not touching it." Jeff and Max slapped their faces in unison.

"You _are_ an idiot," Max mumbled.

"I concur," muttered Jeff.

"Oh, right, gang up on the _seriously_ injured guy."

"Eugene," Jeff said, taking his hand away from his face. "What is stopping you form being with Rapunzel. She's a nice, pretty, level headed girl. Any guy would like to be with her."

"You don't think I know that? Besides, you just said it yourself; Rapunzel would react negatively to anyone telling her they like her." Eugene looked over their heads, then down to the floor, his lips out in a pout. "And Rapunzel is sort of…damaged, somehow. She didn't have it easy before she came and started living with me."

"Well, we know that. Pascal told us about her aunt."

"But that's only part of the problem. Rapunzel is afraid of relationships. Period. She hasn't told me, but I can tell; the way she jumps when someone brushes against her, how she'll get uncomfortable when she sees a couple holding hands. I don't know what got her like that, but I just don't want her to freak out and send her back into that defensive state."

Jeff sighed.

"I see where your concern is coming from, but, you are _way_ too nice for your own good," he said. "That's going to get you killed someday, I hope you realize."

"I'll take my chances."

Just then the door opened. It was Raven. She sauntered in, her eyes fixed on the bar.

"Hi, honey," Jeff said, expecting a kiss.

"Hello." She didn't give one. She was looking at Eugene. She pointed at him. "You. Me. Talk. Now." She walked around the bar and went into the kitchen. The three men looked after her. Eugene twisted back to Jeff.

"Did I do something?" Jeff shrugged.

"Eugene," called Raven. Eugene gave a confused look to Jeff and Max, putting his unbounded arm up, and went into the kitchen. He followed Raven out to the alley behind the bar.

"Alright, you got me out here. What?"

"Rapunzel likes you, but she doesn't want to be with you, because she's afraid you'll ask for sex." Eugene stared blankly at her.

"What?"

"I know, silly. I talked to her and I might have gotten through to her, but-"

"Wait, Raven, you meddled with her?" Eugene's heart dropped and set like a rock in his stomach.

"I wouldn't say meddle, more like a push. She's too afraid of her own feelings and I don't want that to get in her way of being happy with you."

"Oh, God," Eugene rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You just crossed sooooooo many boundaries. Why did you have to go and do that?"

"Well, she brought it up when she told me she kissed you. And everyone is tired of seeing you two beat around the bush."

"Oh, God." Eugene pressed his hand into his eyes. "Please, please tell me you did not give her the 'if two people love each other" spiel, because if you did-"

"Uh….." Eugene looked at Raven, horrified. She smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, no, you didn't. You did! Damn it, Raven!" Eugene's voice echoed in the alley. "What state did you leave Rapunzel in?"

"Calm down, before I get Jeff, and don't think he won't think twice about hitting you, because he will. She actually wasn't too upset, once I calmed her down. Don't look at me like that, she got what I was saying."

"So, what? You told her to be with me? To force herself past her own conflicting feelings and then be even more confused? Damn it, Raven, I was waiting for her to realize things for herself. For Rapunzel, I'd wait an eternity." Raven's jaw hung open a little.

"Wait Eugene, are you saying you actually are already in…love with Rapunzel?"

"Yes! Apparently it's obvious, isn't it?"

"We all think it's just 'like, like,' you know?"

"Well, no, it's not." Eugene took a breath. "I think I've loved her since the day I met her. I couldn't get her out of my head. I kept thinking about her and kicking myself for taking her back to her aunt's house. When I saw her at the school that Monday, my heart stopped. It literally stopped. But I could see she was uncomfortable with me and I was willing to wait however long it took until she could fall in love with me."

"And what if she never did?"

"Then I don't think I'd be able to live another day." Eugene looked at the ground. "You know what my life's been like, Raven. It was a red fog of hate and anger for so long. I still see red," he chuckled. "I think I just proved that, but, when I look at Rapunzel, I see light." Eugene looked Raven in the eye. "The fog lifts, and everything is crystal clear. With her, I know exactly where I'm going. You know what I'm talking about, right?" Raven didn't say anything. She looked guiltily at the ground.

"I was only trying to help, because I know you're head over heels for her. Everyone knows that. But Eugene, if Rapunzel is scared of just being next to you, how can you expect a relationship with her?"

"I told you, I'd wait an eternity for Rapunzel. She's worth it." Raven smiled crookedly.

"Geez, I think you two will be an even more lovey-dovey couple than Jeff and me." Eugene laughed.

"I think it would be very hard to beat you two."

"Well, I think you're going to need to help her get over her fear of sex first."

"Hey, she's already kissed me. How hard can it be?" Raven shook her head.

"You're passive demeanor is going to get you killed someday, I hope you realize."

"Funny, your husband said something very similar to that just this night."

Raven had gotten to Rapunzel. She had decided that Raven might have just been right; maybe she did need to know more about sex before she said she was afraid of it.

After Raven had left and after Rapunzel had cooked dinner (she left Eugene's on the stove; it was gas stove with a pilot light) Rapunzel had pulled out her computer and hooked up to the wi-fi Eugene had in the apartment.

So far, she'd learned the names of the sex organs, what morning wood was, how a woman is stimulated sexually, how to give a man oral sex (she closed out of that window rather quick), and even when it was safe for a woman to have sex without a birth control method; right before and after ovulation. No egg.

This was all fine and dandy information, but Rapunzel found none of it eased her concerns. She needed firsthand knowledge. She absolutely refused to call Raven and ask her what her love life was like. She decided to type in 'smut' (a word she'd heard Pascal use to describe 'highly romantic' literature). She found fan written stories for movies and TV shows. She groaned, but opened some up and read a bit. At first, her face grew hot and she felt funny deep inside her gut, but, the more she read it, the more she realized, it wasn't that great of firsthand knowledge. Some of the things that were being said, she wondered how many of the writers were virgins like her. She closed out of the fan-fiction and decided to chance pictures. She went back to web search, her face hotter than ever.

She scrolled down the search site, looking for anything interesting. She saw two words: _Futari Ecchi_. It was Japanese, she was sure. She clicked on the link and it took her to a manga site. She read the description for the comic; basically, it was about a newlywed couple who were both virgins and they were awkwardly trying to get their love life in order. The description boasted that the comic was highly educational and wasn't just smut. She shrugged her shoulders and began to read it.

It left her highly uncomfortable at first and she was so glad Eugene was not home, but after a few hours of reading it, she began to appreciate the story line. The couple was cute and likeable and incredibly believable. The angles of the two having sex, left her clicking quickly ahead, but it really was educational. She soon became engrossed in it and jumped twenty feet when she heard a key go into the door handle.

Rapunzel exited the website as fast as she could and pulled up her deviantart page. Eugene walked in. He saw her sitting at the dining table.

"What were you doing," he asked, cracking a smile.

"What makes you think I was doing something? Your dinner is on the stove."

"Because your face is red." Eugene set his things down and went into the kitchen. He came back with a plate that had mashed potatoes, broccoli and a whole steak. "You made me steak! Maybe you do baby me," he mumbled.

"My face is only red because I'm hot. I was drinking hot tea."

"Then stop drinking the tea or open a window." Eugene sat down across from Rapunzel, his mouth drooling at the steak. He cut a piece and put it into his mouth. "Oh, geez, Rapunzel, where on earth did you learn to cook? This is amazing!"

"Oh, you're just saying that."

"No, I'm serious. I might just have to marry you." Rapunzel's face became tight. Eugene wished his tongue would fall out, to keep him from being stupid. He put another piece of meat in. "You know, just so I could have you're cooking all the time."

"Right, or you could just hire me as your cook."

"Or that." The two became silent. Rapunzel got up to get more tea.

"Do you want something to drink," she called.

"Glass of milk, if you would." Rapunzel brought it out. They did not look at each other. She sat down with her own drink and hunched low to her computer. She didn't feel like reading more _Futari Ecchi._

She went and got her head phones and put them in to watch _My Little Pony_. She'd gotten through season one and was now on season two. Eugene had been right; Discord was pretty enjoyable.

Eugene ate his dinner, pushing around his vegetables, not because he didn't want to eat them, but because he felt like such an idiot. He eventually got up and put the leftovers in a container and put it in the fridge. He then went to the TV and hooked a video game console up. He put in _Tales of the Abyss._

After a few minutes of watching him play, amazed his could with his arms in such an incapacitated state, Rapunzel took her head phones off and sat down on the couch next to him.

"What's this?"

"_Tales of the Abyss._"

"Pascal plays this game."

"Really?"

"Mm-hm. He had me make that outfit for him for an anime convention." Rapunzel pointed to a male character with blonde hair.

"Guy?"

"Yeah, that's the name." Rapunzel pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. Eugene couldn't stand it any longer; he wanted to break the ice and he decided since Raven had interfered, he wasn't going to chip away at it. He was of tired of that. He paused the random battle he'd just found.

"Soooooo, I learned today that Raven is meddler." Rapunzel's face grayed. Her head jerked to look at him.

"Oh, my God, what did she tell you? She told you I'm afraid of sex, didn't she? Please tell me she didn't. She did, didn't she?"

"Oh, she might have mentioned it…"

"Oh, God…" Rapunzel grabbed a pillow and buried her face in it. Eugene was afraid she'd start crying.

"Hey, it's okay," he said, not sure if he should touch her to comfort her. "I honestly, don't care."

"Argh, she said you'd say." Her voice was muffled by the pillow. Rapunzel didn't move. "What else did she tell you?" She sounded defeated.

"That you don't want to be with me because you're afraid of sex." Rapunzel lifted her head. She did have tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for? I said I don't care. It's your body and your decision."

"Ugh, why are you so nice and understanding?" Rapunzel got up and threw the pillow at him. "You like me, I know you do. Why else would you keep riding to my rescue? Why do you have to be such a prince charming?" Rapunzel paced the apartment, ranting. "Why can't you act like a normal guy who would get frustrated that he lives with the girl he likes, but can't have her?"

"There's a romantic comedy in there, if you're willing to jar it loose."

"Shut up, I'm scolding you for being too nice."

"Yes, ma'am," Eugene chuckled.

"Why do you have to sit there every day and never ask anything of me? You've done so much and you've never asked for compensation. You just want to take care of me. Why? Well, I'll tell you why; because you and I were exactly the same growing up. We both had to wind up fending for ourselves and you see yourself in me. You just went in a more violent direction than I did, but you saw me still stuck in my pain and you couldn't help but help, you crusading goody-goody! You got to me, you got into my head and you refused to leave. I specifically went looking for you that first night at Vlad's, just because I wanted to see you again. Why? Why did I want to see you again? Because you made me feel safe." Rapunzel's voice caught as what she'd just said sank in. "… I could talk to you and let my barriers down." Rapunzel came back to the couch and sat down, took the pillow back from Eugene and threw her face into it again. She gave a frustrated scream into it.

"Feel better?"

"No." Rapunzel brought her head up and faced Eugene. "I keep trying to tell myself, Eugene, that I just want you as a friend, but I keep wanting to be near you. I think I've wanted that since I saw you in that music store." She smiled. "My heart about leapt out of its chest when I saw you that day. I realized I needed you. I was just too afraid to admit it." Rapunzel leaned her head against Eugene's arm and put her hand on his chest. "You make me not afraid to trust people. Because of you, I'm not looking at my own life from the outside any more and I want something more out of life than just watching it go by." Rapunzel pulled her head away. "So, I have one question for you, Eugene; why do you like me?" Eugene opened his mouth, then closed it. He pressed his lips together and scrunched his mouth from side to side. He eventually sighed, giving a chuckle.

"Rapunzel, there are not enough words in any language to explain why I like you."

"Try. I want to know." Eugene sighed.

"Alright, I'll try for you." He cleared his throat. "Why I like Rapunzel Moore, by Eugene Fitzherbert." He paused again. "The simplest way I can say it, you make me see my life clearly." Rapunzel looked at him, stunned. He smiled and cupped her face. He spoke softly. "When you looked at me for the first time with your beautiful green eyes, I was speechless. I felt like I'd just been punched in the gut. I do every time you look at me. I'm a silly romantic, but with you, it was love at first sight. You're gorgeous, intelligent, creative, and though you might not think it, you are incredibly brave. How many people would go through life, living with what you've lived with and not try to end it all?" Rapunzel swallowed. She had tried to end it all; the day she met Eugene. "You know my past, obviously, since you mentioned it, and you didn't run away. Do you know what that means to me? Rapunzel, just sitting here talking with you, I couldn't ask for more. I look at you, and it's like that Beatles song, _I Want to Hold Your Hand._" Eugene stopped talking. "Huh, I guess there are enough words in English at least to tell you why I like you, even if you don't want to be with me." Eugene leaned down and kissed the crown of Rapunzel's head. His scent fissured its way up her nose. Coffee, Old Spice. He began to pull away. She threw her arms around his neck, keeping him to her.

"You idiot, I do want to be with you, I'm just scared to."

"Would you be surprised if I said I am too?" She let go and looked at him. He laughed at her expression, then winced, his hand going to his side. "I've never had a serious relationship before. I've never even put my heart out on the table either, before tonight. I still have walls to break down, just like you." Eugene took Rapunzel's hand in his casted one. She looked down at it. He'd gotten himself hurt for her and she was mad at him for it, because she liked him. Raven was right.

"So where does that leave us," she asked.

"I'd be fine with just dating." Rapunzel contemplated the suggestion.

"I think I would be too."

"Then consider me your boyfriend." Eugene leaned down to kiss Rapunzel's head again. When he pulled away, he said, "You know, I'm feeling well enough, I think I'll sleep on the couch tonight." Rapunzel put her hand on his arm.

"Actually, the bed is big enough. We could…share it…" Rapunzel said slowly. Eugene looked at her like she'd just told him his hair was on fire.

"Are you sure?"

"Well, I am your girlfriend, aren't I?" Eugene smiled.

"I suppose you are."


	13. Chapter 13

_I had to admit, my luck was changing, but only when he was around. I was beginning to think that maybe he was my good luck charm._

Chapter 13 – When Luck Finds You

Just dating wasn't much different from being friends, except that Rapunzel and Eugene now shared a bed. It was nice that the two now had proper places to sleep, but the first night was a big step for Rapunzel. She actually had not been able to get that close to Eugene (not that she wanted to cuddle or anything) and she had to be careful when she shifted; she didn't want to move him too much because if his broken rib. Eugene had fallen asleep quickly (much to Rapunzel's envy), staying on his back. Rapunzel was up for most of the night and she spent it looking at Eugene's face.

He really did have beautiful features for a man. His nose tapered gracefully to a proper point and he had long, dark lashes. His eyebrows were thick, but not bushy, with just a few stray hairs that did not grow with the rest of the brow. She'd never really felt his hair before, but it looked soft and smooth. He didn't have that high of cheek bones, but together with his strong, sharp jaw, he had a rugged persona, like he could jump out the window any moment and have an adventure. He just had that look, and he would take her along with him, pulling her through harrowing escapes and near deaths. For some reason, Rapunzel fantasized about the two of them, like they were in a video game, running for their lives, trying to get to something important. She shook the image from her head, calling it ridiculous and focused on his lips instead; they looked very kissable. Rapunzel wondered when she'd be ready for that, blushing.

She was 'dating' Eugene Fitzherbert, the man, who just two months earlier, had saved her life. She was in his bed, with him. The idea of just being near to him left her feeling warm, but, just like when she'd moved in with him, she felt different. Her world had shifted, and very suddenly too. Things were fuzzy and clear, all at the exact same moment. It was like she was on a merry-go-round that just kept spinning and spinning and spinning. She wondered if she'd ever be able to get off, not sure if she even wanted to.

The next morning, Eugene found Rapunzel asleep, having finally passed out, curled up in a ball. Her hair was sprawled around her like a gold cape. Eugene wondered why she'd let it grow so long; it was well past her bottom. She was always pushing it out of her face and tying it into a big messy bun atop her head. He also wondered why she dyed it; she didn't seem like that sort of girl. Her night shirt (which was still Eugene's old phys. ed. T-shirt) had ridden up and exposed her stomach. She was an incredibly thin girl, with barely any hips or bust for that matter, but she was still gorgeous, even with her mouth hanging open and a little snore coming from her throat.

Eugene leaned in to kiss her, to brush his lips across her lightly freckled cheeks, but his rib cage erupted in pain. He sat erect, gripping his side. His sudden gasp startled Rapunzel awake. She sat up, putting her hands on him.

"Eugene? Are you alright?"

"Fine, just moved funny." Rapunzel frowned.

"Are you sure that break is healing properly?"

"I don't know. I have a doctor's appointment next week. They'll tell me then"

"Well, don't push yourself. It'd be an ill omen if you landed yourself in the hospital right at the beginning of our relationship." Rapunzel's face flared vermilion as she said 'relationship.' Eugene smiled at Rapunzel, cocking an eyebrow.

"Superstitious, are we?" Eugene leaned over and pecked Rapunzel on the cheek. He pulled back. "I hope you don't mind, but, you're just too cute sometimes." Rapunzel smiled meekly, her face heating up again.

"I don't mind too much," she mumbled.

"Well, we don't have to rush." Eugene got up and said he was going to go take a shower. Rapunzel flopped back on the bed, her head whirling; it felt nice to have Eugene's lips touch her.

Her stomach growled. She decided to make chocolate chip pancakes, much to Eugene's surprise and delight.

It was a week later and Eugene was at the doctor's, getting poked and prodded and x-rayed. He wished Rapunzel could have come, or he go with Rapunzel.

Rapunzel was at the college. She didn't have class, but the school was having its annual April Artist Showcase and she had to be there for her grade. Every year, the college would pick at least one piece that the students had created and then put them on display in the museum of modern art that the campus had. The museum was actually a gift from the Kings, the couple behind the workings of Corona Enterprises. Though the museum was not affiliated with the college, there were classrooms connected to the museum in a separate building.

Three of Rapunzel's paintings had been picked by the art staff. Her painting of the paper lanterns being released, a painting of a whited-out, androgynous body holding a bouquet of colorful flowers, and a folksy painting of woodsy animals standing over a girl, sleeping on a pile of leaves.

She was really bored, missing Eugene. He absolutely had to go to the doctor and she absolutely had to come to the college. It wasn't like they never saw each other and they had only been 'dating' a week, but Rapunzel was beginning to fear she was becoming addicted to Eugene's presence. She felt like a naked traipse artist without her safety net when he wasn't around. She wondered if that was normal, like what people call the 'lovey-dovey' stage. It would explain her ridiculous notions.

Rapunzel wandered around, looking at everyone else's work, nibbling cakes and sweet breads as she went. She was mainly listening to what the guests were saying about her art. It was mainly the same thing for every painting.

"Lovely use of color and shadow."

"Intriguing idea."

"What a lovely spin on a fairytale/fantasy sort of idea."

"I can clearly see the story the painter has created."

Rapunzel wasn't all that happy with the compliments; they were mostly trying to find meaning in the picture. It was just a painting.

After she walked the museum three times, she went back to the refreshment's table, to get something to drink when she saw Pascal and… Max. Rapunzel walked over to them.

"Hi Pascal, Max." The two turned around. Pascal had his cheeks bulging with fruit, grapes threatening to spill out. He tried to say hello.

"A o, a-un-el!" He was really only able to say the vowels. He chewed as quickly as he could and swallowed. His eyes widened when the food got caught. Max slapped him on the back until he motioned for him to stop. "Hoo, that was close," he coughed out, patting his chest.

"That's what you get for shoving food in your mouth on sight," Max scolded.

"Is there a law against that?"

"No. If people kill themselves from random acts of stupidity, it's called accidental death." Rapunzel smiled. Pascal and Max had become good friends. It made her happy.

Pascal had gone all out for the event; he'd dyed his hair red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple and it made him look like Rainbow Dash. He even had a rainbow tie to match and a rather drab black pinstripe vest he had open, paired with a white collared shirt he'd rolled the sleeves up on. He still wore his punk goth pants, but he'd left his crazy contacts at home; he was actually wearing his glasses, which were retro 1950's glasses that all the hipsters were wearing. Whenever he wore his glasses, Pascal's eyes doubled in size. He had really bad eyesight.

"Nice hair," Rapunzel said, putting her hand on his head to muss it up. He brushed it away.

"It took me hours to make it look like I just woke up." Rapunzel rolled her eyes and turned to Max.

Max was dressed a bit more down. Black slacks, blue collared shirt, black shoes. He looked like an out of uniform cop. Surprise.

"What are you doing here?," she asked him.

"Eugene called me and asked if I would come out here in his place. I guess he had a doctor's appointment." Rapunzel had to keep herself from beaming. That was so something Eugene would do.

"That was so sweet of him. Thank you for coming out here, Max. You really didn't have to."

"No, it's alright. I'm off today and I can appreciate art. I've already seen your pieces, very nice by the way."

"Thank you," Rapunzel said a little flustered. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, glancing at the floor.

"Did you see my painting," Pascal asked as he filled his plate up with more fruit.

Yes, Pascal had one piece in. It was a black and white painting of a man standing in anguish and the contrast of the monotone colors were so sharp and crisp, it was actually Mr. Busby himself that insisted that painting of Pascal's be put up.

"I didn't see your name," Max said, glancing at the art.

"Well, you were probably looking for 'Pascal', right? My actual name is Cameron Green. Who would actually name their kid Pascal? Get real, Max." He popped a grape into his mouth. "So, Eugene's at the doctor?"

"Yes, they're checking to see if his rib is healing right. Making sure it's not remodeling into a lung or something."

"Yikes," Pascal said.

Oddly enough, Pascal had remained strangely indifferent to Eugene's actions against the Stabbington brothers. His did not condone, nor condemn Eugene's actions. All he said was, 'he did what he felt he had to.' Pascal probably knew where Eugene was coming from better than anyone. For so many years, he'd been Rapunzel's guardian, but he'd never beaten anyone up, only threatened them. Deep down, though, he probably wished he had gotten a hit on someone.

"When does he get his cast off," Pascal continued.

"Today. But they're putting another one on, though."

"Man, that guy sure put himself through the ringer." Pascal bit into a strawberry and tossed the leafy top onto his plate. "Will that cut on his head scar over?"

"Uh, I don't think so," Rapunzel said, finding it odd that Pascal was asking so many questions about Eugene. "He did get stitches, but it's barely visible." Pascal shook his head.

"That guy is lucky he didn't get himself killed."

"You said it," Max agreed. He addresses Rapunzel. "I actually checked with the station; there's a vice team on those two. Apparently, they skipped out of the hospital and every cop in town is on alert for them. They're under the radar right now, so I don't think they'll come crawling back anytime soon." Max winked at Rapunzel. She smiled and a heaved a sigh in relief. She had not realized she was still worried about those two. For the last four weeks, she'd been concerned with Eugene.

"By the way, Rapunzel," Pascal said after he sucked out the juice from an orange wedge, "when did you finally decide to start dating Eugene?"

"What?"

"What?" Max looked from Pascal to Rapunzel. "This is news to me."

"It is? Eugene didn't tell you? Oh, never mind. Pascal, how did you know?" Pascal looked at her dubiously.

"Empathy readings. Your whole demeanor is different, darling. Also, your shoulders are more squared, you've taken extra care with your hair, and you keep looking off dreamily." Rapunzel blinked at Pascal. Max put a hand on his shoulder.

"Excellent deduction, Watson." Pascal looked up at Max.

"I'm Sherlock Holmes, bitch. BBC version." Rapunzel sighed.

"Well, yes, Eugene and I decided to date, but I wouldn't say things are much different. We haven't really done anything as a couple. And why didn't he tell you, Max?" Max shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him this week actually. It's been busy at the station. Maybe he'd just wanted to tell me in person."

"It's only the first week, right? You and Eugene," asked Pascal. Rapunzel narrowed her eyes at him.

"You know how long too?"

"I'm Sherlock Holmes."

"Fine, it has only been a week. Week and a half, actually."

"Well, we all knew it was matter of time," Max said. He saw a server coming out with a bowl of fruit. She had apples. He ducked over to pinch one, or a few. Pascal turned to Rapunzel.

"You actually are different, Rapunzel. I've never felt you feeling so happy and at ease with yourself." Rapunzel stared. She thought about her mental state. Was she feeling more content? "I know I said not to trust Eugene at first, but I was right about the positive effect he had on you. You're practically glowing." Pascal took Rapunzel's hand. He squeezed it. "He's sort of the best thing that's happened to you."

"Pascal, are you giving us your blessing?"

"Only if he gives me a dowry."

"Pascal!" Rapunzel swatted at him. He ducked and let go of her hand. He looked at his watch.

"Ah, man I gotta head to my job. Better find Mr. Busby and clock out." Pascal leaned over to Rapunzel and kissed her cheek. "See you later, love." He waved good-bye and went to look for Mr. Busby to say he was leaving. As Rapunzel looked after him, Max came up beside her, crunching an apple.

"Where's he going?"

"His job. He works at a daycare center." Max whipped his head to look at her, shock sprawled out across his face."

"Looking like that? If I had kids, I'd never let Pascal near them."

"Because of the hair and piercings?"

"No, I just wouldn't. He'd taint them with all his meme and anime references. Kids need classic allusions, like to history and literature and black and white movies."

"You sound like Eugene."

"Who do you think got him to like that stuff? When he asked me to be his friend, I told him needed to knuckle down and be a proper student before I would ever hang out with him. Course, I wouldn't have said that if I'd known he was going to surpass me with his grades." Rapunzel gave a chuckle. Max looked at her. "Pascal is right; it is pretty apparent that you're different. When I first met you, you barely cracked a grin." Rapunzel looked at the floor.

"I know. Pascal said it's because of Eugene. I guess he has helped me to get past a lot of stuff. But I suppose," Rapunzel looked up at Max, "if it weren't for you, he and I would have never met, right?"

"Oh, hold on there, Goldie, I got Eugene into academia, but I was not the one who got him down the right path. That was somebody else."

"Who?" Max wagged his finger at her.

"Uh-uh, you're his girlfriend, you ask him."

"Well, that's mean."

"No, it's logic. You two are dating, find out things about him." Max took another bit of his apple. Just then his phone rang. He answered. "Chief?" He paused. Rapunzel heard a garbled gruff voice that spoke with authority on the other end. He talked for only a short amount of time. "I understand, sir. I'll come down to the station right away." He hung up. "Duty calls. I gotta go. Bye, Rapunzel. Loved the art." He gave a quick hug.

"Bye, Max." He waved and was gone.

Rapunzel was bored again.

She could just leave, but Eugene had insisted she wait until he got out of his doctor's appointment to pick her up. He didn't want her riding on the bus alone. It was nice that he cared so much, and Rapunzel supposed that she should find it a little irritating, but she sort of agreed with him. Bad luck still had a nasty habit of finding her.

Rapunzel went back to wandering. Most of the people had left and only a few meandered about, sipping sparkling grape juice and murmuring about the art. Rapunzel's walking left her by her painting of the paper lanterns. There was a couple looking at it. She hovered by, listening to what they were saying.

"Oh, darling, this one is my favorite of her three. It's like something straight out of a fairytale."

_Again?_ Rapunzel refrained from snapping at the woman.

"Yes," said the man. "I wonder if we could meet the artist." The man turned around and spotted Rapunzel. "Excuse me, young lady." Rapunzel walked over. "Do you know if the artist of this painting is still here?" Rapunzel took a breath.

"Actually, I'm the artist."

"You're Rapunzel Moore," asked the woman. She was incredibly lovely. She had chestnut colored hair that was done up very elegantly, which complimented her gentle jaw line. She had green eyes and thin eyebrows. She wore a dark purple pencil dress with a pearl necklace and matching earrings. She had a kind smile and she was just gorgeous, as pretty as Raven.

Rapunzel nodded her head a little. The woman's looks had stunned her a bit.

"Uh, yes. I'm the artist." The woman extended her hand.

"Very nice to meet you. We just ask because my husband and I simply love your art. We haven't seen things this whimsical and fantastic in awhile."

"Well, thank you." Rapunzel noticed that the woman was a little bubblier than she had expected. She was supposing the woman would speak with a highly sophisticated tone.

"So, we'd like to buy the paintings from you, if you're willing to part with them, that is."

"Eh?" Rapunzel wasn't sure she'd heard correctly.

"We both agreed that $1500 would be appropriate."

"Eh?"

"We'd love to have all three. They're just so wonderful." Rapunzel paused and did the math.

"That's…that's $4500," Rapunzel stammered out." The wife nodded.

"Yes. Unless, you feel your art is worth more. We're willing to pay anything for them."

"N-n-n-no, no, that's a f-f-fine price, but, I'm sorry, I-I-I-I didn't…catch your names. Who are you two?"

"Oh, my goodness, darling, I did it again," the woman said turning to her husband. The man chuckled. He put his hand out for Rapunzel to shake.

"I'm Nicolas King, CEO and president of Corona Enterprises and this is my wife, Isabelle King." Rapunzel didn't take Mr. King's hand. She just started at him.

"Haaaaaawha?" Rapunzel had no idea what to say. She fumbled to untie her tongue. "You're Mr. and Mrs. King?" The man nodded his head. He was a fairly tall man and looked quite a few years older than his wife. He had a thick beard and mustache, that both had gray hairs mixed with the brown ones, and a large, angular nose. He had a gentle smile that made his soft blue eyes crinkle.

"We were also wondering," Mrs. King put in, "if you could paint at least twelve more paintings. We'd pay you for those, of course, each still being $1500, but we own an art gallery, and every spring, we find young artists to showcase. We can't help but adore your art. It's very traditional with a bit of a folksy feel. They're like illustrations in a children's fairytale book." Rapunzel bit her tongue to argue that point.

"All together, we'd be paying you $22,500 for fifteen paintings," said Mr. King. "I'm sure you could use the money. College students always do." Rapunzel did agree with that, even though she didn't direly need money; she had a scholarship and utilities for the apartment were covered by Eugene for the next three months, but she was sure she could use it for something eventually. And how else was she supposed to get her art out?

"Well, I don't really have objections to your proposal. I'm sure I could fill your order."

"Oh, wonderful!" Mrs. King clapped her hands. "We'd like it if you kept with this theme of fairytale and fantasy and romanticism, just so all your paintings have a consistent story with them."

_Not all art has a story!_

"Of course," Rapunzel said, smiling sweetly, chasing her irritation away. Mr. King took out a piece of paper and check book. He scribbled something on the piece of paper then wrote the check and handed both to Rapunzel. The piece of paper had the name of the art gallery. The check was for the full amount. It was only five numbers, but it looked like so much.

"When you finish the paintings, drop them off at the gallery," he said. "At the latest, they need to be done by June seventeenth." Rapunzel nodded her head.

"Also, you don't need to be there, but," Mrs. King took Rapunzel's hand and squeezed it, "it would be absolutely splendid if you would attend the unveiling on the twenty-first of June. It's always nice to have the artist there."

"Um, I'll see what I can do," Rapunzel smiled, still too stunned to speak or think clearly.

She felt her phone buzz in her pants pocket. She pulled it out. She had a new text message.

"Well, we'll be leaving you alone now, Rapunzel. The three paintings here, you can just bring them to the gallery with the others. See you later," sang Mrs. King. The couple walked away, leaving Rapunzel standing with a big check and an open mouth.

"What…just…happened…to me?" She remembered her phone. She flipped it open. It was Eugene.

[They finally stopped torturing me. I'm coming to get you now.]

[Alright. I'll be in the museum.]

[Got it.]

Rapunzel loitered as best she could, waiting for Eugene. She didn't see Mr. and Mrs. King anywhere so she assumed they left. About twenty minutes after Eugene sent his last text, he was there. He came into the museum to get Rapunzel. She noticed his new cast. It was purple.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey. Nice manly color."

Eugene grinned.

"Purple means royalty."

Rapunzel rolled her eyes.

"I'm ready to go."

"Not so fast, I want to see you're art."

"Fine." Rapunzel lead Eugene through the museum to her three paintings. He said he liked all three of them, but he liked the ones with the lanterns better.

"It reminds me-"

"Don't," Rapunzel snapped. "I have had to listen to people all day talk about what my art reminds them of. And they've all said it's like a fairytale and dreams and everything else! I'm sick of it and I don't want to hear it from you." Eugene put his hands up defensively.

"All I was going to say was that it reminds me of a dream I had once. Okay?" Rapunzel pouted out her lips.

"Okay." Eugene put an arm around her and lightly kissed her head.

"Did something happen to set you off?" Rapunzel sighed, feeling ashamed she had just barked at Eugene.

"Not really. But I got a very unusual business deal."

"Hm?" Rapunzel showed him the check. His eyes widened at the amount.

"Mr. and Mrs. King of Corona Enterprises gave me that, because they want to put my art in a gallery of theirs."

"What?"

"They asked if I would make twelve more pictures. Just like that." Rapunzel snapped her fingers.

"Wait a second, hold on, Mr. and Mrs. King. Nicolas and Isabelle King of Corona Enterprises asked you to do paintings for them?"

"Yes, who else in this city can write a check like that and not bat an eye. They said they showcase young artists in town at one of the galleries and I was lucky…enough to be picked." She _had_ just been lucky. Good lucky, not bad.

"Well, good for you, Rapunzel. Who would have thought I'd be dating an up and coming artist?"

"Yeah, who would have thought," Rapunzel mumbled. Eugene frowned.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just lost in thought. Can we go now? It's been a long day."

"Sure."

Eugene and Rapunzel walked to his car, which was in the underground parking garage that was below the classrooms connected to the museum. When they got in the car, Eugene's phone started ringing. He answered it without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello? Oh, hi, Mom." Rapunzel looked sideways at Eugene. Mom? Had his mother actually contacted him after she left him? "Yeah, my doctor's check up went fine, thanks for asking. No, no, they said it's healing fine." Eugene turned to Rapunzel and winked. He put his key in the ignition and turned the car on. "Oh, really? I guess it is that time of year again isn't it? Eh, do I have to be there. Okay, don't yell. Sure, I can come over later. Hey, Mom, I'd like to hear about your trip, but I'm getting ready to drive. Yes, I can drive with a broken rib! You worry too much. Yes. Good-bye. Tell Dad I said hi. Bye-bye. Love you." Eugene hung up his phone and put it in the cup holder. "Sorry about that. My mom has always had a bad habit of calling right when I'm getting ready to do something." Eugene put the car in reverse and backed out. He switched it to drive and pulled out of the parking lot. "Mom has the gift of gab and will talk forever if you can't stop her." Rapunzel smiled, even though she didn't find it funny. She wondered how Eugene could keep a relationship going with his mother when she abandoned him. Maybe she came back and apologized. Eugene was the sort of guy who would forgive just about anything. But why would Eugene tell her to say hello to his father when his mother walked out on him? Maybe it was a step-father?

"She had a trip she wanted to tell you about?"

"Oh, yeah. She had a business trip. She just got back last night. She wants me to come over later this week so we can talk. She left right after I put myself in this state and she wants to see for herself that I'm alright." Maybe she wasn't that bad of a mother.

"Are you going to have me meet her?" Eugene looked at her from the corner of his eye.

"Not if you don't want to. I won't force you to meet my parents right away. I'm actually afraid they'd scare you."

"Uh-huh." Rapunzel chewed her lip. "Eugene?"

"Hm?"

"We're dating, so, let's go on a date." He grinned.

"Sure, where do you want to go?"

"The Snuggly Duckling." Eugene gave a laugh.

"That is not an actual place of business, is it? What is it?"

"It's a restaurant, and it's by Vlad's."

"Then let's go."


	14. Chapter 14

_The lights in the sky, they must have brought me to him. How else would I have found myself glowing everyday like a star? Or maybe, it's him who's the star and I just reflect his light. That must be it, because I don't believe in fate or destiny._

Chapter 14 – A Good Luck Charm from the Charmer Himself

After a few more weeks of dating, Rapunzel and Eugene had fallen into a rhythm. She painted. He typed. This was the extent of their free time in the apartment. They occasionally went out for lunch or dinner, but Rapunzel liked to stay home. It was more comfortable than being out in public. Some days though, she just itched to get out.

Eugene had pretty much healed. He could now expand his rib cage without wincing in pain. He was still a little sore, but his joints would eventually work that out. His cast was off and everyday for twenty minutes or so, he had to squeeze a stress ball to strengthen his hand again.

It had turned hot quickly. All of April had been relatively cool (and rather uneventful after the Kings' commission order) and the first week of May had been pleasant too, but New Sonnenburg was having an out of season heat wave. It was May fourteenth and all the windows in the apartment were flung open. Eugene refused to turn on the AC when he was sure it would turn chilly again.

Rapunzel sat in the spare room, only wearing a camisole and a pair of thin shorts. She'd braided her long hair (actually, Eugene had braided it for her, somehow…) and had wrapped it around her head. She looked like a little Swiss girl missing her Alps. It was so hot, she wished she was in the Alps. In the spare room, Rapunzel had a fan going. Around her sat four of the twelve paintings: a man standing in a pile of feathers in mid transformation from bird to human, a girl sitting in a cage, singing, an antlered man standing in foliage with deer, and an androgynous face in the wind. She was staring at a halfway done picture of a purple starburst flower with village like people doing daily tasks in the petals.

Rapunzel put her paint brush in her mouth and stretched her arms up. She'd been working nonstop for the last few weeks. She'd wanted to start right away, but she hadn't had any ideas. For some reason, keeping with the Kings' theme proved to be more difficult than it sounded. Eugene tossed some books her way, and of course, they were all fairytales. She'd read a few and hated every minute of it. She wrote down some ideas and taped the list to the wall in the spare room, so she could be reminded later.

It wasn't even the spare room anymore; it was Rapunzel's studio. She had a stack of canvases, all lined up and ready to be used. Eugene had gotten shelves and boxes for her to store her supplies and even found a desk for her. He of course had to have his friends set the furniture up, but it was the thought that counted. Rapunzel still stored her clothes in the room; Eugene's closet was full of his.

Her eyes wandered from her easel to the open closet door. She spotted a light pink sundress her aunt had gotten for her to impress a very famous photographer. Rapunzel cocked an eye at it.

"I don't feel like painting anymore," she said. She set her brush down, turned off the fan and went into the living/dining room, where Eugene was clacking away at his laptop. He was in a pair of sport shorts and nothing else. Rapunzel was fine with him being shirtless now (she was finding she actually sort of preferred it; Eugene was well built and any artist could appreciate that). She actually had to get used to a half naked Eugene fast; the nights were hot too and he didn't sleep in a lot. At first, she'd mostly been put off by all the little white scars that littered his chest. She wondered if she should ask about it, but she decided it might be better not to. She figured he'd just gotten them from being in the gang he was with.

Eugene had a folder sitting next to him full of loose leaf paper that was covered in black handwritten text. Rapunzel walked up behind him and slid her arms over his bare chest, liking how smooth he was. She, however, did not enjoy his clamminess.

"Eugene," she whined, "I'm bored." He stopped his typing and chuckled, taking one of her hands and kissing it.

"I'm sorry to hear that." She rested her chin on his shoulder and stared down at his computer screen.

"Working on something for class?"

"Uh…well, yes and no." Rapunzel let go of Eugene and sat down beside to him.

"How is it yes and no?"

"Uh…" Eugene gave a nervous laugh. Why did he look so embarrassed? "Well, you see, I'm in a creative writing class." That didn't surprise Rapunzel; he had books galore and his poem she'd heard was well written, so, why not?

"Okay, so is this something you're polishing up for class? Or are you sending it into a contest?"

"Actually, both, sort of. See, everyone in the class has to bring in something for review and critique. My turn is next week and I've just been fixing this up." He gestured to the screen. "But I've been working on this for awhile now. I want to get it published, as an actual book, with a cover and everything."

"Really?" Rapunzel had no idea that Eugene liked to write enough to make a career out of it.

"Yeah. I suppose I never did tell you one of my goals in life, did I?"

"Well, I never asked," Rapunzel said, thinking back to when Max had told her about getting to know her boyfriend more. Better late than never. "What's it about?"

"Uh…" Eugene scratched his neck. "Well, um, it's a young adult fiction, loosely based off fairytales."

_Of course._ Rapunzel refrained from the temptation to roll her eyes. She simply nodded.

"The main character is a thief, named Flynn Rider. He's always getting into trouble, not because he's a bad thief, he just makes things difficult for himself. He's sort of cocky." Eugene talked quickly, waving his hands like everything he said didn't matter that much. "Anyway, while escaping capture, he rolls down this cliff and at the bottom, he's alright, by the way, at the bottom, he discovers this cave that leads him to a tower in a clearing." Rapunzel narrowed her eyes.

"Is this _Rapunzel_?" Eugene laughed.

"No. Sort of the same idea, but not. Though, he does find a girl inside. She's been cursed by a witch to stay in the tower forever, singing for the witch whenever she wants a song. Anyway, he leaves the tower and goes on his merry way, but he can't stop thinking about the girl. He then realizes he has to go back to her and get her out of the tower. And of course, there are soldiers and guards and witches after him, plus old accomplices who want him dead, and a plot to over throw the kingdom which he discovers and he has just enough sense of duty to try to help. It's actually better than it sounds."

"Sounds like kids will like it. Is there a happy ending?"

"Oh, I won't give everything away. You can read the final draft for yourself, but I will say this, Flynn has to give up everything he's worked for, to get what he really wants."

"Mm, major dynamic character change." Eugene smiled and turned back to his screen.

It sounded like a cute story, but Rapunzel wasn't sure she'd read it. You read one young adult fiction; you've read them all. That was her opinion.

Rapunzel stood up and kissed Eugene on his head. He looked at her, surprised. She winked.

"For luck."

"Thanks, I'll need it." He went back to clicking the keyboard.

"Uh, Eugene?"

"Yeah?" He looked up at her. She looked off to the side and to the floor, twisting a strand of hair around her index finger.

"I realize you have school work, but," she looked at him as pleadingly as she could, "let's get out of the apartment. It's stuffy in here." He grinned.

"You know, I was thinking the same thing." He closed his computer and stood up. "But, where do you want to go?" Rapunzel thought.

"The park. The one with the lake."

"With the island in the middle you can only get to by rented boat?"

"That's the one."

"Alright. I'll go put something more decent on," Eugene smiled as he gestured to his bare chest. He brushed his lips over the top of Rapunzel's head and went into their bedroom. She went into the spare room and grabbed her light pink sundress. It was thin and breezy and perfect for a hot day. She peeled the other clothes off and threw on the light weight dress. She grabbed a pair of white sandals that would be comfortable enough to walk in. She checked her hair in a mirror, to make sure it was still done up and grabbed her purse.

Eugene came out of the bedroom wearing plaid shorts and a thin blue button shirt that was more open than closed. He was wearing sandals too.

"Ready to go," he asked.

"Yep." He extended an arm and she took it.

They rode the bus to the park, rather than take the car. It was more eco-friendly, Eugene said. The park they were going to was close to the shoreline of New Sonnenburg. It was on a sort of bluff that overlooked a small stretch of beach. It was actually closer to the suburbs than the city itself, so it was a long bus ride.

They didn't talk much. Eugene noticed that Rapunzel liked to look out the window when she was in a mode of transport, so he let her be. He pulled his smart phone out and began to text. Rapunzel noticed.

"Who are you talking to?"

"Pascal. He asked me about a final boss in some video game."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Apparently it's killed him three times since I told him how to beat it. He thinks I gave him the wrong information on purpose." Rapunzel laughed.

"That sounds like Pascal." Rapunzel turned back to the window. Eugene looked across the way at her. She looked really happy to be out of the apartment. Eugene smiled. Sometimes it was nice to just go out with no good reason except boredom.

When they got to the park, the parking lot was full of cars.

"That's weird," Eugene said. "Why are there so many people here today?" He looked around. He saw a sign. "Oh."

"What?" Eugene pointed. Rapunzel read the sign.

_New Sonnenburg's annual spring fireworks festival._

"I forgot about this thing," Eugene said.

"That's okay," Rapunzel smiled up at him. "I've actually never been to this. I've always wanted to go."

"Then allow me to make your dream come true." Eugene put his hand out for Rapunzel. She took it, smiling as she did so.

Since it was a festival, there were food booths, vendor stalls, games, and even performances by local bands and dance troops. At one point, while passing by the stage, the two saw Mr. Hook playing the piano. He really could play with a hook. It was background music for a mime act.

"Hold on, Blondie, I gotta get a picture of this." Eugene whipped his phone out and snapped a picture. He grinned at it. "He's going to wonder how I got this," he laughed evilly to himself.

They began to wander down the vendor alley, when Eugene heard Rapunzel's stomach growl.

"Hungry," he asked.

"Just a little bit." They found the food.

There was a hot dog stand, burgers, barbeque, a stall selling authentic Turkish coffee, shaved ice, and a funnel cake stand with cotton candy.

"Take your pick. I'm buying." Rapunzel didn't know what to eat. All the smells mixing together in the air made it hard to decide. She really wasn't a burger person and barbeque was too messy.

"How about hot dogs?"

As they waited in line, Rapunzel bounced on the balls of her feet. She looked up at the stage; there was a band consisting of a fiddler, a flutist, and guitarist. They played a folksy number. It had a good tune and Rapunzel swayed a bit to the sound. She was listening so intently to the music, she didn't notice that the line had moved and it was their turn. She walked up, embarrassed. Rapunzel ordered a plain hot dog, while Eugene ordered a chili cheese dog with relish, onions, and saurer kraut. Rapunzel blanched at it when they got their food.

"You're actually going to eat that?"

"Yeah. It's better than it looks."

"But it has saurer kraut."

"It's an acquired taste." Eugene took a bite out of it. He 'mm-mmed'.

"I hope you like heart burn."

"Adore it." He always had something snappy to say.

After the hot dogs, Eugene bought both of them shaved ice and a bag of cotton candy. They had to eat the ice quickly and when they ate the cotton candy, they had to find a bathroom to wash the ick off.

"Would you like funnel cake," Eugene asked, after they got out of the restrooms.

"No, I can't really eat fried foods. It gives me hiccups."

"That is oddly cute." Rapunzel blushed.

Now sated, they went back over to the vendor booths and began to look at the available merchandise. There was certainly a lot of it. Artisans and crafts people from all over the area had turned out for the event. There were sellers of various forms of art; pottery, wood carving, painting, jewelry, silver and gold smiting. There was a booth of homemade candles made from bee's wax and the same booth sold local honey too. There was a vendor selling hand caved bows (they were expensive!) and a stall full of cloth goods, like dresses, shirts, scarves, and purses. Someone had even gotten smart about the heat and was hocking parasols and fans for cheap. The jewelry enticed Rapunzel the most, even though she didn't wear it a lot, it was pretty. In one booth she fancied over a beautiful amber necklace. The pendant was made of six pieces of yellow amber cut to look like petals of a lily. The pistol coming out from the center was gold, and clashed a bit with the soft yellow of the gem. She stared at it long enough that Eugene noticed.

"You like that," he asked.

"It's pretty."

"I could get it for you."

"Oh, no." Rapunzel put her hands up. "It's fine. I don't wear jewelry too often and besides, it's expensive." She turned the price tag for Eugene. $80. He whistled.

"Ye-ah. That's a pretty price. Course, that's amber and amber isn't cheap."

"Yeah. It's nice to just look at." Rapunzel wandered away from the booth and Eugene followed.

They finished the many rows of vendors just as the sun was beginning to set. They walked over to where the games were set up, the park lights starting to flick on. There wasn't much, mostly things for children. However, there was a rock climbing wall. Eugene looked at it.

"Challenge you."

"Up that thing? I'm in a dress."

"I'll punch anyone who looks." He gave her a pleading look. She had a hard time refusing.

"No. Besides, you shouldn't. Your rib did_ just_ heal." Eugene stuck out his tongue.

"Nag," he said before he kissed her above the ear.

They meandered a bit more through the throngs of people. They watched as children delighted in the little games, while their parents snapped photos. Then, they passed an interesting booth that didn't really fit. It was for knife throwing.

"Oh, hey, I'm amazing at this," Eugene said enthusiastically. He pulled Rapunzel up to the booth.

"You can throw knives. How one earth did you learn to do that?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Rapunzel cocked a brow.

"Try me."

"Okay, but remember, you asked for it." He took a breath. "My mom was infamous for throwing things at my dad when they fought. Sometimes it was sharp things, like her hair or sewing shears. She never hit him, but the sharp pointy objects always stuck in whatever was behind my dad. After awhile, I just memorized the movement." He held up his hand and quickly snapped his wrist. "Most people think it's the elbow or shoulder, but that's just half the power. It's the wrist that makes the movement true. Here, I'll show you." As Eugene paid for the knives, Rapunzel thought about his mother again.

_She threw scissors at her husband and he beat a man to death… how on earth did Eugene turn out alright?_ She was forced to abandon the thought as Eugene took his stance. He held the knife loosely in his right hand; his body angled slightly perpendicular to the target. He brought his hand back to his ear three times, bringing it forward again. Suddenly, he brought his hand up quickly, releasing the knife before his hand even passed completely by his head. Rapunzel strained her eyes to watch the knife turn over and over, point over handle, until it landed solidly in the wood with a satisfying thud. He grinned at Rapunzel.

"See?" She clapped her hands.

"Impressive. But can you use then in the kitchen?"

"I keep telling you I can cook if you'd let me."

Eugene threw the four other knives he paid for, all with the same dead accuracy, and they continued on their way.

They left the games and were wondering what they'd do next, when a voice came over the loud speaker.

"Attention festival goers. The fireworks show will begin in approximately a half an hour. Thank you." Eugene looked down at Rapunzel.

"Well, Blondie, what do you want to do until then?" She looked across the way at the stage.

"We could just watch the performers for awhile."

They found a bench towards the back, where there weren't too many people. Mr. Hook was on stage again, this time with three strings players and someone on a squeeze box.

"Oh, hey, those are his buddies from the New Sonnenburg Orchestra. At least the three fiddlers. I have no idea who the other guy is." Eugene took his phone out again and snapped a shot of Mr. Hook. He then turned to Rapunzel, still holding the phone to take another picture. "Smile!" Rapunzel covered her face.

"Eugene, no, I hate having my picture taken."

"But you used to model."

"And there's a reason why I hated it." Eugene put the phone down.

"But I don't have one picture of you." He sounded so forlorn and depressed.

"Fine." She smiled meekly up at Eugene. He took the photo and showed it to her.

"I knew it," he said. "A picture doesn't do you justice." Rapunzel rolled her eyes.

"Always trying to be the charmer, hm?"

"Well, someone needs to charm a smile out of you." Eugene looked at his watch, then back at Rapunzel. "Hey, I'm going to run to the restroom really quick before the fireworks start." He got up and left. Rapunzel looked back at the stage. Mr. Hook's band left and a dance group walked on. Music started that sounded like a polka. She watched for a little while, then began to look around, wondering where Eugene was. It couldn't take that long to go to the bathroom. She glanced at the way he left, then second guessed if he even went that way at all. She tried to focus on the performers, but the longer Eugene was gone, the more uneasy she got.

_Did that hot dog go through him that fast?_

She was considering going to look for him when he finally showed up. She smiled in relief, then decided to scold him.

"I was about ready to call Max and ask him to bring the search dogs."

"He'd never find me." The way Eugene said it, Rapunzel wondered if that was true.

"What took so long?" Eugene took a deep breath. He pursed his lips and didn't meet Rapunzel's eye.

"No toilet paper. I had to wait till I heard someone outside." Rapunzel covered her mouth to keep from guffawing on her own spit.

"Seriously," she giggled. "Wow, I'm sorry I asked."

"Don't be. It was an adventure."

"Okay, then." The two smiled at each other. Eugene offered her his hand.

"Come on, I also picked out the best spot to watch the fireworks. And don't worry, I washed my hands."

"I wasn't even thinking that." Rapunzel took Eugene's hand and he began to lead her away from the festival stalls. They took a path that winded through some on the park trees. The further away they walked from the fair grounds, the darker it got. Eventually, Eugene had to pull his phone out and turn on his flashlight app.

"Eugene, where are we going exactly?"

"You said this is your first time seeing the fireworks. I figured you'd want the best seat in the house."

They broke the tree line and came upon the lake. Rapunzel gasped.

Before she could ask anything, Eugene pulled her to the boat house, where he rented a boat and oars. As he led her down the docks, Rapunzel finally broke her silence.

"Eugene, are you serious? Watching fireworks from the lake?"

"Why not? We'll get to see them twice. The light will be reflected off the water." They got to their boat and Eugene helped her in. He got in himself and began to row to the middle of the lake. Rapunzel kept her eyes forward, not looking back at Eugene, or even at the sky. Though, she was thinking about Eugene.

She was still amazed by how he would go out of his way for her. He would do just about anything for her, just to get a smile out of her. How did she get someone like that?

Eugene stopped rowing and pulled the oars up. He settled down next to Rapunzel. He looked at her.

"Hey, Rapunzel, I'm curious. When's your birthday?"

"Uh…May."

"So, it's this month," Eugene asked, surprised.

"I guess."

"What day."

"The fourteenth."

"So…today?"

"No, today is….." Rapunzel turned as red as a cherry. "Oh, my, gosh, it _is_ today. Oh, I forgot my own birthday." She covered her face with her hands.

"Understandable. You've been working so hard." Rapunzel looked at Eugene. He smiled and reached a hand into his pocket. He opened it to her. Sitting in his palm was the amber necklace she'd been looking at earlier. "Happy birthday, Rapunzel." She gaped blankly at it, her mouth slightly slacked. "Pascal told me it was your birthday today. I was actually going to take you out later, but you beat me to it." She looked at him again.

"So you weren't texting him about a video game?"

"Oh, no I was. He still hasn't beaten the boss yet. I told him to get more levels. He told me to do something rather unpleasant." Rapunzel shook her head. Pascal could still be ornery towards Eugene. She stared at the necklace.

"Eugene, it's beautiful, but, it was so expensive." He chuckled.

"Well, only a little expensive."

"What?" Eugene sighed, scratching his head.

"I didn't want to tell you this until later, but I get an allowance from my parents. They insist upon it. I don't usually spend it, so it's sort of piled up. I only use it if it's for something important or, unless it's for someone else." Eugene unclasped the chain and bent down to put it around Rapunzel's neck. As a reflex, she put her hand up to pull her hair aside, but remembered she'd pinned it up. She tried to make it look like she purposefully brought her hand up to her mouth. The chain felt like water as it slid across her neck. The back of the pendent clanked against her chest. She put her hand to it, feeling the smooth lines and cold surfaces. She felt like Eugene was breathing in her ear as he hooked the ends of the necklace together. She turned around, looking him in the eyes.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." He leaned down and kissed her across her hairline.

_He never kisses my lips_, she thought. Rapunzel was sure Eugene's patience was killing him on the inside, but she was grateful for it.

Rapunzel snuggled up to Eugene's chest. He put an arm around her. She slipped her hand into his free one.

"I like being with you, Eugene," she said. He didn't say anything, but she was sure he smiled. She sighed and shifted her head so her ear was right over his heart. She grinned. It was beating at an accelerated rate.

_So I can make his heart race. I wonder if I could make his heart skip a beat._ But Rapunzel had no idea how to do that.

There was an incredibly loud explosion.

Rapunzel jumped, almost knocking herself and Eugene out of the boat. Eugene held her tight and patted her back.

"It's okay, it's just the fireworks," he said. He indicated to the sky. She looked up, just as another round went shooting across the night sky. The night ignited with red, blue, and gold sparks in patterns of circles and flowers. Some of the fireworks released more sparks that flittered around like lighting bugs. "Look at the water," Eugene whispered in her ear. Rapunzel did. It shimmered with the ember's light, like colored rippled glass. At every pause in the show, the water seemed to swallow up the fire light, hungry for the next round.

For about fifteen minutes, the air boomed with the sound of fireworks spraying fire among the stars. Rapunzel and Eugene said nothing. They only looked at the fireworks and held onto each other. Rapunzel didn't even notice the heat of the day anymore, only the heat of Eugene's arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, putting a hand over his chest, just so she feel his heart beat. It still fluttered.

She never thought such a bodily function of another would make her heart flutter too.


	15. Chapter 15

_There was something that was holding me back and weighing me down. I was living a different life, but I still needed something to make it _more_ different, something to make me officially, not me._

Chapter 15 – The Luck Has Changed, But…

_Life could not better be, better be, better be._

Rapunzel groaned to herself. She had that song in her head again!

A few nights ago, Eugene put in _Court Jester _again, and he'd been singing the opening song since. He was even doing it now as he cleaned the apartment.

Rapunzel was too preoccupied by her paintings for the Kings to do any chores. Eugene wasn't complaining; it _was_ his place originally, he _should_ clean it, and now he actually could since he was no longer handicapped. He was dusting around the living/dining area, where Rapunzel was painting. She had to move out of the spare room because it had been raining for the last two days. The rain was pounding really hard on the only window in the other room and she could not take the monotony of it. She moved herself out into the living room where Eugene was playing housewife. She glared at him from around the portrait as he started in on the song again.

"Life could not better be, better be, better be. It could not possibly, no sirrah, sirrah siree." He hummed a bit to himself. Well that was better than the words. Rapunzel went back to her painting.

She'd finished four more paintings and only had three left. The newly completed ones were a girl sleeping like a dew drop in a flower, a wingless man flying to the sky, trying to reach a constellation of a woman, and a gypsy girl dancing in a swirl of color to invisible music. The latest one she was working on was almost done. It was of a couple sitting in a boat on a lake. In the background, a castle and city floated on the water. Stars littered the dark night sky and dim glows came from the island town. She'd decided to call it _Waiting for the Lights._ For some reason, she imagined that at any second, floating lights, like paper lanterns, would be released into the air. She had no idea why she thought that, but it was a nice enough idea. Just as she finished the final brushstroke, satisfied with the picture, Eugene started in again with singing the last line of _Court Jester's_ opening title.

"Which brings us to the plot, plot we got, quite a lot! As it unfolds you'll see . . . what starts like a scary tale . . . ends like a fairy tale . . . and life couldn't possibly better be!" He belted out the last line into the feather duster.

Rapunzel threw her paint brush down.

"Argh! Eugene! Could you stop singing that song! You're getting it stuck in my head!"

"Sorry," he laughed. "But it's such a catchy tune."

"Whatever," Rapunzel said deadpan. She picked up her paint brush and set it down with the others. She looked at her finished piece. Eugene walked over to see it. He nodded his head in approval.

"This one's amazing, Rapunzel."

"Don't tell me what it reminds you of."

"Oookay," he said back, a little put off by her tone.

Rapunzel sighed at her work.

"It's nice, but I have no idea what to do for the last two and the deadline is less than two weeks away."

"Don't sweat it. You'll come up with something." Eugene patted her shoulder. "Want to look at my books again?"

"Oh, God, please no. I do not want to read anymore childish stories of witches and magic and happy endings." Eugene looked quizzically at his girlfriend. Did she just…snap at him?

"Oookaaay," he said cautiously again. "Then how about this." Eugene went over to the dining table and took a stray sheet of paper and a pencil. Rapunzel watched as he doodled something. He brought it over to her. "I know I suck at drawing, but what about this?" Rapunzel looked at the sketch. It was of what must have been a man, holding a woman, who was sitting in his arms. The two were looking at each other, and the woman's hair was turning into wind. "What do you think of this idea?" Rapunzel turned her nose up at it.

"I don't want to paint something like that."

"But it would make a pretty picture, don't you think?"

"But I don't want to paint it."

"Well, it's not that bad of an idea and-"

"I SAID I DON'T WANT TO PAINT YOUR STUPID IDEA!"

Eugene did nothing. He said nothing. He didn't even blink. He released the paper and it fluttered to the floor. He took a step back, like Rapunzel was a rabid bear. He took a breath.

"You know, I'm hungry and we haven't eaten yet. I am going to go get us something." Rapunzel watched, still steaming, as Eugene slipped shoes on, grabbed his keys and an umbrella. He opened the door and didn't even say good-bye as he closed it. When it clicked, Rapunzel flopped on the floor, anger burnt out.

"Craa~aap…" She hadn't meant to snap at him. She just did. It wasn't because she was stressed; it was something else entirely. "Stupid female body and being anatomically built to make babies…" she moaned to the floor. She was going to start her menstruation cycle any day now. It was just a usual case of PMS.

As Rapunzel sat up, thinking about how she was going to apologize to Eugene when he got home, she noticed her hair.

It was down, for once. Straight and soft, it curtained her round face. She tugged at it and then brought it in front of her eyes. She examined it; there were millions of split ends. She hadn't been to a salon since before she met Eugene. She didn't care about damaged ends, but the thought reminded her of her aunt. Donna was always trying to make Rapunzel presentable, and fashionable. She didn't really go for all that prim and proper, and latest trend stuff. It just wasn't her.

As Rapunzel looked at the blonde hair, she realized something; she hated it. She hated being blonde.

Rapunzel stood up and went into the spare room. She grabbed a pair of rain boots (polka dots that her aunt had insisted on buying) and then grabbed an umbrella. She also picked up her house key and cell phone, just as it buzzed. It was Eugene.

[Korean? It's a special.]

[That's fine.]

Rapunzel hoped that didn't sound too cold.

She left the apartment, locking the door before she started down the steps. She walked to the corner and crossed the street. Straight across the way from Flynnigan's Tower of Books was a convenience store that was more like a mini market. She went inside and went right to the beauty aisle. She picked out a box of brown hair dye, just plain, boring brunette and bought it. She went back across the street and up to the apartment. She left her wet boots in the entry way and went in to the bathroom. She opened the box and pulled out the contents. She looked at herself in the mirror, imaging herself with her natural color again. She hadn't been brunette since she was thirteen. She scrunched her face up at her reflection.

Rapunzel left the bathroom and grabbed a large pair of scissors from the spare room. She went back into the bathroom and gathered her hair into a thick ponytail. Without a second thought, she brought the scissors to her hair and didn't even hear it as it sliced through the strands. She let it fall to the ground and inspected her handy work in the mirror. It was horribly uneven. The left side was longer than the right, and the front pieces were the longest of all. Now she looked like some punk going for a new look. It actually didn't look that bad on her and she didn't care if it didn't. She felt refreshed to have the weight of her hair gone. It was like the last of her aunt's controlling behavior was finally expunged from her being.

Rapunzel raised the shears again to try to even out the hair when she heard the door open.

"I'm back," Eugene called tentatively. "I know you like the vegetable dumplings, so I got a few." Rapunzel stepped out of the bathroom, hair sheared, scissors in hand. Rapunzel was surprised Eugene didn't drop the bag of food, but his mouth sure dropped, like the hinge just broke on a trap door. "What? Did? You? Do?"

"I wanted a change," she said simply, shrugging her shoulders. "It's been bugging me for awhile. And I'm dyeing it too." Eugene laughed, flabbergasted. He set the food down and walked over to Rapunzel. He took the scissors from her hand.

"You are unpredictable." Rapunzel wasn't sure if he meant that as a good or bad thing. He fingered her hair. "It's uneven. Let me fix it." He steered her back into the bathroom, trying not to step in the pile of hair, and sat her down. She kept her eyes closed as she listened to him snip away at the hair.

"Am I going to regret letting you do this," she asked at length.

"Hope not, but my mom was a hair dresser, so I know a few things."

"Hm. Well, we all know your mother is infamous with sharp implements." Eugene chuckled. "What other things did your mom teach you?"

"Depends," was all he said. Rapunzel didn't inquire, but she was curious now. How did it depend on what his mom taught him? Eugene could be very confusing sometimes.

Rapunzel heard him set the scissors down.

"Well, it's at least somewhat even." Rapunzel got up and looked in the mirror. It was very short in the back and spiked out. The front bangs were a bit longer, but they only brushed the top of her cheeks. There was one strand of the bangs that was parting itself from the rest of the lock. Eugene rubbed his chin at her.

"What," she asked.

"Nothing, just that, if you had one blue eye and brown hair, you'd look just like Yuna from _Final Fantasy X2_." Rapunzel cocked an eye at him. He only shrugged. "Five bucks Pascal will agree." (He did, if you're curious.)

"Well, I am dyeing it brown. It's actually my natural color, if you can believe it."

"I can. You never seemed like a blonde to me."

"My aunt made me dye it for modeling."

"I figured." Eugene paused. "Do you want help applying the dye," he asked.

"No, I can manage. Thanks."

"Alright. Then I'm going to make sure our lunch is still warm." Eugene left the bathroom, closing the door as he went.

Rapunzel put the rubber gloves on and squirted the foaming dye into her hands. She rubbed it through her hair, getting right down to the roots. She pulled a hand mirror out to make sure she'd gotten the back too. She used the whole bottle on her head, to make sure she was thorough. When she was sure it was even, Rapunzel left the bathroom to eat lunch.

The food was laid out on the table. Eugene was sitting on the couch, his food on a plate. He was flipping channels. If he'd noticed that Rapunzel had come out of the bathroom, he made no notice of it.

_He must still think I'm mad._ She got a plate from the kitchen, setting a timer for the hair dye as well, and mainly filled up on the vegetable dumplings. She walked over to her easel and noticed Eugene's drawing on the floor. She glanced at him. He still wasn't looking at her. She picked it up and took it to the spare room. She set it on the desk and left, still finding the rain pounding at the window annoying.

She sat down in front of her painting, considering if she could do anything else with it. It looked decent enough to her; very folksy, whimsical, and reminiscent of any fairy tale she supposed.

The timer in the kitchen sounded.

Rapunzel grabbed a change of closes and ducked in the bathroom to wash the dye out. It was odd to wash hair that was barely four inches long; she was used to nearly a yard of hair. She finished and dried her hair, amazed at how quickly the water left. Short hair was amazing! She changed into the fresh clothes and left the bathroom again.

Eugene was still on the couch, having finally found something to watch. It was an old black and white movie. It changed to commercial and the tile flashed across the screen.

_Don't Worry, We'll Come Up With a Title._

Rapunzel smiled. What a cheeky name.

Rapunzel didn't pick up her plate of food again; instead she sat down next to Eugene. He finally noticed her. He blinked. He blinked again. Rapunzel couldn't read his expression. She worried he didn't like it.

"Wow," he finally said. "Did I ever tell you I've got a thing for brunettes?" Rapunzel stifled a snicker. He _always_ had something to say. Eugene put and arm around her and leaned down to kiss her head.

_No_, she thought. Quickly, without thinking, Rapunzel turned her head up so that Eugene's lips found hers. He pulled back, almost immediately, staring at her. She looked at him innocent, pleading. She tapped a finger on her lips, her eyes wide and wanting. She didn't even have to say please. Eugene's whole body relaxed in such a manner, it was like he released a breath he'd been holding for an eternity. He bent down again. Rapunzel sat up taller and closed her eyes. Again, Eugene's lips touched hers. They were so warm and soft and…dry, but not like chapped dry. How odd. They sent a shiver straight to her heart and her ears began to pound, but it didn't make her feel bad.

Eugene pulled back slowly. Rapunzel opened her eyes and instantly wished she'd kept them closed. Eugene was looking at her, just like the first day they'd met. He was studying her, looking for something that would clue him into her feelings. She felt uncomfortable from the gaze and did the only thing that felt natural; curl up next him and hope he'd stop looking at her. She heard him chuckle. He tightened his arm around her and rested his head on hers. Her head was on his chest again. She stopped her own breathing so she could hear his body's rhythm. It was beating so hard and fast.

The sound of the thumping, she loved it so much.

_Don't Worry, We'll Come Up With a Title_ came back on, and what a haphazard, manic movie it was, and Rapunzel and Eugene's tiff was forgotten.


	16. Chapter 16

_He was such a mystery when I first met him. Slowly, I learned things about him, but the most important thing I discovered about him, was that he would always hold me up._

Chapter 16 – A Dash from Bad Luck

Eugene had insisted Rapunzel get a new dress for the art show. He'd even dipped into his "pile of allowance" money. He'd practically shoved her out the door with a wad of bills (it was $700 when Rapunzel counted it; she bought a $30 dress on clearance and wondered just how loaded his family was) telling her to drive down to the mall in his car.

"Take Raven. It'll be fun for you. Get something slinky."

"In your dreams," she said back, rolling her eyes.

"Ah, that seems to be all I have." He pecked her on the cheek and cheerily sent her off, like a parent waving to their child on the first day of school.

"He's acting odd," Rapunzel mumbled to herself.

She bought a dress, just to please him and then he didn't even want to see it.

"I'd rather see it the night of the art show," he told her after she came back from the mall. He was on his laptop again, the table littered with papers from his story, all marked in various colors and highlighters. Rapunzel stared at the mess.

"What's all this?"

"All the copies of my story my class marked." He lifted a sheet up. "All fifteen." Rapunzel glanced at all the pen marks.

"Did they not like it?"

"Oh, no, they did. All this is mainly their comments. Usual stuff: more clarity, didn't make sense, missed comma. That kind of thing." Rapunzel nodded her head, but all the red, blue, green and pink marks were still intimidating.

It was finally June twenty first, the night of the art show at the Kings' gallery. Eugene had written it in big red letters on the calendar in the kitchen. That morning, Rapunzel had glared at it while she was making her tea.

She had told the Kings she would attend, but, now that the day was upon her, she really didn't want to be there. However, Eugene was thrilled about it. You'd think he was going to an amusement park for the first time.

Rapunzel changed in the bathroom. She needed the mirror more than Eugene. Though she no longer had hair to do up, she decided to make an effort and put make up on. She'd worn cover up here and there when acne had popped up, but Rapunzel hadn't worn anything else since she left her aunt's house.

As she put on her makeup, Rapunzel half wished she hadn't cut her hair so short. She couldn't do much with it, but it would grow out, and she did like it short. It forced her to be more assertive, because now she couldn't hide.

With her make up on, Rapunzel took the dress out of its plastic bag. It was a light lavender color. It only had one strap that went over the left shoulder. A gauzy fabric went down the whole of the dress and was spotted with gems and sparkles. They were mostly clustered around the top and bodice of the gown, then spread out and down it. It was a very nice dress and Rapunzel had gotten it at a steal. She hadn't even bothered to purchase shoes or jewelry, even though she was sure Eugene meant for her too. He seemed to forget she had a whole closet full of designer labels her aunt had gotten her for auditions.

She put the dress on, smoothing it over her waist. Raven had actually insisted Rapunzel buy that particular dress.

"It looks fantastic on you, Rapunzel! It shows how slim you are, but not flauntingly. And it gives your girls a boost too." Rapunzel blushed and put her arms over her chest at Raven's words.

She looked in the mirror. Rapunzel had to admit it; she did look nice. Scratch that; she looked better than nice, she looked hot. Rapunzel turned her back to the mirror and looked over her shoulder. Yep, hot from that angle too. She grinned at her reflection. Sometimes it was just fun to look nice. She did so seldom anymore.

But could she leave the bathroom looking so hot? Eugene was out there and Raven had said something else about the dress.

"You're going to have a hard time keeping Eugene's hands off you." Rapunzel knew it was just play and she knew Eugene would _never_ do anything, but… it was out in the air.

Rapunzel sighed. She couldn't hide in the bathroom and Eugene really wouldn't do anything. Not unless she asked for it. Which she never would… maybe. Eugene was making her change her mind about some things.

Rapunzel opened the bathroom door, just as Eugene was walking out of the bedroom. He was tugging his cuffs out from his suit coat sleeves. It was a black suit and he'd paired it with a classic white shirt and a black tie. He looked up when he heard the door open. He stopped. His eyes glazed over. His lips parted ever so slightly and his eyelids widened just 1/10 of a centimeter. Rapunzel ran a hand through her hair and smiled, hoping she wasn't blushing.

"Eugene, what are you looking at?" He grinned and walked over to her. He took her hands and kissed them.

"Only the fairest of all the maidens in the land." He leaned down and kissed her. On the lips. She kissed back.

"That's sweet," she said, "but Snow White is the fairest in all the land."

"Not in my opinion. Rapunzel is way better than any princess. Fairytale or Disney."

"Rapunzel isn't a Disney princess." Eugene wagged his finger at her.

"Just wait, it'll happen. I mean, come on, it's a classic." Rapunzel sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, and how is Disney going to get around the fact that Rapunzel is a twelve year old girl who got pregnant with twins by a man at least twice her age?" Eugene scrunched up his face and thought.

"They'll do the Christian friendly version. Or make it completely wrong. It is Disney. I mean, I love _Beauty and the Beast_, but that movie is _not_ correct."

"Oh, whatever, Eugene. You can fanboy later, but we should probably get going, right?" She gestured to the clock.

"Yeah."

As they left the apartment, Rapunzel studied Eugene in a suit. He could look good in anything. The coat squared and broadened his shoulders to the point where he looked like he could carry the world and not break a sweat. Though it hide how well defined he was, he was able to wear the suit like he knew it gave him power. He fussed with his tie a bit, tugging at the knot. Looking him up and down, Rapunzel decided Eugene could fit into a James Bond movie.

But Eugene did not have the car to match or the gadgets.

Outside, he held the door open for Rapunzel and closed it. He got in on his side and started the car. As he pulled out, Rapunzel felt like she was headed to a prom. All she need was a corsage.

Like always, Rapunzel looked out the window. Not a lot of people were milling about in the early evening. She instead thought about the art show. She wondered what to expect. She knew what she'd hear: everyone going on and on about the story behind the picture. She hoped she'd be able to hold her tongue.

As he drove, Eugene kept glancing over at Rapunzel.

"You nervous?"

"No. I know I'm a good artist, so I'm pretty sure I won't be hearing the words 'atrocious' or 'absolutely horrid' or anything of the like." Eugene chuckled to himself. "I just don't want to hear people trying to find the story behind the art."

"Why?" Eugene stopped at a red light. He took his hands off the wheel and looked at her. "What's so wrong about a piece of art being a story?"

"Because art just is. The artist makes it just because. Sure, you have the story of where the inspiration comes from, but, art just is." Eugene nodded his head. The light turned green and he accelerated.

"Okay, I can see your point, but here's my argument." Rapunzel rolled her eyes and stared out the passenger window. "Art is subjective. It can mean whatever anyone wants it to mean. It doesn't matter if the artist has the story for it right in there, stapled to the piece. People have opinions. Art has a story behind it. What do you think writing is? It's a form of art, and it makes stories. And why do you think archeologists save old, broken pots?"

"Because archeology is the study of the material objects left behind by humans and is a branch of anthropology, which is the study of humans, past and present."

"Nice textbook answer, points for snappiness. But no, they want to know the stories of the people who made the pots. How they lived, what they ate, what they kept in the pot. Now, you have your opinion and me mine, but someone can't just blindly say art has no story. Everything has a story, because there is a person behind that thing. And people have stories."

"Mm-hm." Rapunzel hated it when he made sense. "So, what's your story?" Eugene had irked her just enough, she wanted to see if she could get under his skin.

"My story? It's a series." Rapunzel held in an exasperated breath; she should have known better than to try.

They got to the art gallery and Eugene helped Rapunzel out of the car. They walked up to the door and Rapunzel gave her name. Eugene gave his name too and was on the list. Rapunzel thought that was odd, but she didn't say anything. Eugene could be mysterious if he wanted to. If he wanted her to know something, he'd tell her. She trusted he would if it was important.

Inside, Rapunzel glanced around. Ladies in gowns, more extravagant than Rapunzel's, and sharply dressed men wandered around with champagne glasses in their hands. Waiters meandered through the throngs and cliques of people with platters of shrimp, mini sandwiches, and keeshes. She was looking specifically for her art, which she saw was scattered around the gallery.

Rapunzel clicked her heels a few more steps in from the entryway. Eugene followed, pulling at his tie again.

"God, I hate wearing ties. It was the one thing I could never get used to living with them."

"Living with who?" Rapunzel asked, not even really hearing herself asking the question. She had spotted Mrs. King, wearing a gold sequence and bead evening dress. It was a strapless and scooped down her back. Her hair was done up in a high pile, with glitzy bobby-pins stuck in it to hold it all together. Rapunzel waved to her. Mrs. King caught the movement and looked over. She squinted at Rapunzel for a few seconds. Recognition dawned on her face and she walked over, smiling.

"Rapunzel! You're not blonde anymore. And your hair is…is, well so short." Rapunzel patted it down.

"Yeah, I wanted a change."

"Well, it looks smashing on you, darling." Eugene was still fidgeting with his tie. His back was to the two. He turned around, still tugging at the constricting nuisance. Mrs. King smiled at him.

"Eugene, you're here earlier than I thought you'd be."

_What?_ Rapunzel looked between the two, confused.

"Yeah. Hey."

Mrs. King scoffed.

"That is no way to address me."

Eugene rolled his eyes.

"Fine." He stooped and kissed Mrs. King on the cheek. Rapunzel's jaw dropped. "Hello."

"Well, I suppose that's better," Mrs. King mumbled. She suddenly remembered that Rapunzel was there. "Eugene, this is Rapunzel Moore, one of our featured artists."

"Oh, I know. I actually know, Rapunzel."

"You do?"

"Yeah, we go to school together," he shrugged. Rapunzel glared at him. What was he doing?

"I suppose you do, don't you," Mrs. King said thoughtfully. "Do you two have a class together?"

"Nope."

"Then how do you know her?"

"We're roommates," he said simply. Eugene wrapped an arm around Rapunzel's shoulder. "And we're dating."

_Could he be any more blunt?_

Shock spread across Mrs. King's face. She narrowed her eyes at Eugene. She pointed accusingly at him.

"You're terrible, you know that." He grinned evilly. "You told us you weren't seeing anyone." Mrs. King took one of Rapunzel's hands and patted it. "I'm so sorry if my son has caused you any trouble."

Rapunzel blinked.

"So- whu- him?" Rapunzel pointed a finger up at Eugene. He started to laugh.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Blondie," he snickered, wiping tears away. "I didn't want to tell you, because I wanted to see your reaction. The Kings are my foster parents." She took a moment to take this in.

"Ooooooooooooooh." Rapunzel nodded her head. "That explains a few things." She thought. "Actually, that explains a lot of things."

"Oh dear," Mrs. King chuckled, "like what?"

"Just… everything." Eugene smiled and shrugged his shoulders at his mother.

Just then Mr. King walked over.

"Hello, darling. Who are you talking to?"

"Rapunzel." He squinted at her.

"Oh, it is you. Your hair is so… different. And we even have Eugene here." He held out his hand. Eugene shook it.

"Hi, Dad."

"Darling," Mrs. King said to her husband, "did your son ever mention to you that he had a girlfriend." Mr. King looked at Eugene, frowning.

"No."

"Well, she's standing right in front of you." Mr. King's face was surprised. He cocked an eyebrow at Rapunzel; he wanted her to confirm the information. "Eugene," Mrs. King continued, "Rapunzel wouldn't happen to be the girl you got beaten up for, was she?" He put up his hands.

"Ah, you caught me. Guilty as the day is long. Clap me irons and throw away the key."

"Don't tempt us, son," Mr. King said.

Rapunzel suddenly realized that she'd seen the Kings before she'd met them at the college. They were in Eugene's photos! She refrained from slapping her face. Why had she not noticed before?

_And artists are supposed to notice detail_, she thought to herself.

Some waiters walked by and the Kings each took a glass of champagne. Eugene refused the alcohol.

"I'm driving." However, he did pick up a small sandwich. He scowled at the size of it. "You know, one of these years, you guys gotta get decent food." He put the whole thing in his mouth, as if to prove a point.

The four wandered the floor, looking at all the art. The Kings certainly had good taste; some of the other art rivaled Rapunzel's. She was starting to become embarrassed that hers could even be put up next to such fine pieces. They passed two of her pictures. They were actually two of her last. The couple sitting in the boat, which she had decided to call _Waiting for the Lights _and a portrait of herself, cutting her hair. She called that one, _New Dream_. Eugene stared at that one. He actually had not seen her last two paintings. She's taken them to the art gallery before he could. He looked thoughtfully at it, contemplating it for far too long, Rapunzel thought.

Eugene's parents were jabbering away as he admired his girlfriend's talent.

"You know, now knowing that Eugene is Rapunzel's boyfriend, that painting makes sense now." Eugene turned around to his mother.

"What painting."

Rapunzel gulped. She knew he'd see it eventually.

The Kings took them to a far wall. There was only one painting, with two lights exposing it for Rapunzel's boyfriend to see.

A man was holding a small woman in his arms. His arms were large and strong, and he would never let the woman go. She was smiling down at him, tenderly, her hands on his shoulders. Her hair was turning into wind, it was so long. The man was gazing at the woman, like she was the most important being in the world. The title was nearby. It read, _Eugene's_.

"And I thought it was odd that the man looks so much like Eugene," Mrs. King said, but no one really heard her.

Eugene stared at the painting, completely dumbfounded. His lips had parted in a stunned fashion. Rapunzel slipped her hand into his.

"Rapunzel," he whispered, "it's beautiful."

Mrs. and Mr. King shared a glance at each other, smirking knowingly.

The four continued to talk amongst one another, but other guests kept coming up to the Kings to have a word with them. Eugene would pull Rapunzel off to the side to offer his parents' conversations a bit of privacy, and then they would wander back when the conversation was done. After awhile, they said they absolutely must socialize with their other guests.

"We enjoy your company, Rapunzel, dear," Mrs. King said.

"Too bad Eugene's with you, though. We see him all the time."

"Very funny, Dad." Mr. King chuckled.

Rapunzel smiled. So this was how Eugene turned out alright; he had a second chance for a better family. They certainly looked like they loved him with all they had, and then some.

She looked around, just gazing about at all the faces, looking for any unique ones that would be a feat to recreate. She glanced towards the door and her heart stopped.

A beautiful, tall woman, with dark hair just walked in. Her long, lean, well sculpted legs were exaggerated by her spilt red dress that had sequins stitched onto the fabric.

It was her aunt.

Rapunzel's hand left Eugene's so quickly, as she bolted away, desperate to not be seen by Donna.

Eugene frowned at his empty hand and looked after Rapunzel.

"Rapunzel?" He turned back to his parents. "Excuse me, apparently I need to go. Rapunzel!" He followed after her into a back area of the gallery, trying not to full out run. He couldn't find her. "Rapunzel? Rapunzel where are you?" He heard a door open, and a pair of arms dragged him into a closet. The janitor's closet. Rapunzel clicked a light on. They were in very close proximity to one another. Eugene gulped at the closeness.

Rapunzel held a finger over her mouth.

"Shush!"

"Rapunzel, excuse my choice of words, but what the hell?" She put a hand over his mouth.

"I saw my aunt," she whispered. His eyes widened. She took her hand away.

"What's she doing here? This is one of the biggest social events in New Sonnenburg and it's invite only. How'd she get in?"

"My aunt is a model. She's a VIP period." Eugene scratched his head, glaring at the ground. He didn't like the state Rapunzel was in. She was terrified. Her eyes were wide and she trembled from head to toe. He knew there was only one thing to do.

"Do you want to leave," he asked her. "Because, even though I've got no qualms about spending the night in a janitor's closet, we're going to be shooed out eventually." Rapunzel nodded her head.

"Yes, I just want to leave."

"Okay." He kissed her on the head. "I'm going to go tell my parents we're leaving. You leave through the loading dock door, so your aunt won't see you." Rapunzel nodded her head again. He gave her the keys to his car, so she could sit and wait for him.

Eugene opened the door and walked back towards the gallery floor. Rapunzel found her way to the back of the building and left. She unlocked the car and sat in the passenger seat, waiting for Eugene to show up. After a few minutes he did. He got in and Rapunzel handed him the keys. He turned the car on, but didn't put it into gear. He looked at Rapunzel. He took her face in a hand.

"You know, we're all dressed up. Is there any place special you want to go?" Rapunzel shook her head.

"No. I just want to go home."

Eugene turned on to the street.

They passed under street lights. Rapunzel sunk low in her chair, resting her face on the seat belt strap. It was like her aunt had stolen all the energy she'd managed to work up the last few months. She was just so tired. She couldn't wait to wash the night off and go to bed, with Eugene beside her, there to keep her safe.

She turned to him.

"That's what you meant, when you said, 'depends,' when I asked about what other things your mom taught you. It depends on the mom, right?"

"Yep."

"Has your birth mom contacted you since…she left?" Rapunzel knew she was in a touchy topic, but she realized she was tired of Eugene keeping things from her. He kept his eyes on the road.

"I guess Max told you about some things, didn't he? Such a meddler," he sighed. "Almost as bad as Raven. Yeah, she contacted me again, when she gave up all rights to me after Dad got thrown in prison and I was about to be put in the system. She never wanted me in the first place." He paused. "She actually died. Two years ago, in a car crash. It was on the west coast. The authorities found how to contact me, because Mom had a picture of me in her purse and on the back was my address. And it said 'me and son." Eugene grew silent. His eyes didn't mist over. He was probably past the point of tears for his birth family.

Rapunzel looked out the window again.

"I'm sorry I asked, Eugene."

"Don't be. I don't mind telling you things about me. I told you; my life is a series."


	17. Chapter 17

_His hands are so big. They hold me softly and gently, like he knows he could break me. Yet, these are the same hands that have beaten and have been broken and broken again. His hands are large and strong and hold my tiny frame together._

Chapter 17 – Trusting the Lucky One

Seeing her aunt had shaken her up, but a few days later, Rapunzel was back to her new, normal self.

It was summer break and spring semester had been out for weeks. June was heading out and the rush of finals was long forgotten and time could be spent at leisure. With nothing much better to do, Eugene and Rapunzel were taking more hours at work. They had the days of weekends most of the time, but Eugene had to work at Vlad's most Saturday nights.

The two had fixed their summer schedule so that they had one full week off for themselves. Around the time of their vacation, Jeff and Raven were leaving for theirs. They were headed to Disney World.

"I'm so excited," Raven had said cheerily at Vlad's the night before their flight. She bounced on her stool, clapping her hands. "I've never been to a Disney park and I've always wanted to meet the princesses!" As Raven pestered Rapunzel about wanting a souvenir, Jeff smiled stupidly at his wife, his face in his hand. It was the little things that made him happy. They left Friday morning and that Sunday, Eugene and Rapunzel were off the hook for one full week.

There was only one thing Eugene wanted to do during their break: see Rapunzel in a swim suit.

"We could go to the beach, stay in a classic, robust motel, with a continental breakfast. Go sailing, kite flying, build sand castles." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Go skinny dipping." Rapunzel frowned at him over the crossword.

"No."

"Come on!" He threw himself over the table, his arms reaching for her as she sipped her morning tea. "You can't possibly want to stay in the apartment for the _whole_ week."

"I'm perfectly fine with the city pool."

"You are absolutely no fun," he said, pouting, picking at his scrambled eggs.

"You're the one who liked me first."

Monday, they went to the New Sonnenburg Museum of Art. Eugene didn't complain and even liked some of the pictures, but he really wanted to see Rapunzel in a bathing suit. One shouldn't think he had other intentions; every male comes to a point in his relationship when he wishes to see his female counterpart in a swimming suit. At least he was being decent and not specifically asking for a bikini.

Tuesday, Rapunzel went clear across town to buy a certain kind of special paper that White Shell Paint didn't have. She took Eugene's car and he decided to just be stranded in the apartment. He was playing _Final Fantasy XIII, _cursing at the battle system, when he got a call from his mother.

"Eugene, dear, I know this is short notice and that it's your vacation week, but your father and I absolutely have to leave town for a business trip. Would you be the best son in the world and watch our apartment for a few days?" Eugene pursed his lips on his end. He'd never been asked to watch the apartment before. What was his mother up to?

"How many days," he asked.

"Oh, two or three. It depends on how the business deal goes." Yep, she was definitely up to something; that was the thinnest excuse Eugene had heard in awhile.

_Why is my life full of meddlers_, he thought to himself.

Eugene saw no 'harm' in the request, so when Rapunzel got home, he told her to pack her toothbrush.

Wednesday, they arrived at Eugene's parents' penthouse.

Eugene was half tempted the pull out his phone and snap a picture of Rapunzel.

She walked into the foyer, her two bags falling off her arms as she wandered in. Her head bobbled back and forth, her eyes expanding more and more. She could barely soak in the hard wood floors, leather furniture, stone lined fireplace, oak dining table, granite countertops, and custom cabinets. Chandeliers fell in little drops of lighted glass, mimicking rain. She twirled through the living room, her head two spins ahead of her feet. Fine paintings, sculptures, and vases sat with revere on shelves and tables. There was a large ornate clock sitting in the middle of the mantle, with photographs on either side. Rapunzel glanced at them. There was only one photo of the Kings, and it was of their wedding day. The rest had Eugene in them. There were books everywhere, stuffed into shelves that had alabaster carved book ends and various globes of the world. It was such a stylishly decorated penthouse; it was hard to believe anyone lived there. That Eugene had actually lived there. Rapunzel couldn't picture it.

Eugene looked after her, scooping up her luggage and throwing it on the couch along with his. She still danced around, rubbernecking down halls and into corners. She stepped close to the far wall. Eugene smiled and flipped a switch on the wall. Rapunzel jumped when a heavy curtain began to move. She looked at it curiously, then gasped when it was fully parted.

It was not a wall; it was a floor length window. The entire city filled the pane of glass. Rapunzel put her hands on the glass, pretending she was stepping onto air. Buildings rose and fell like jagged staircases. From her height, cars and busses and people moved slowly. The view made the corners of Rapunzel's mouth come up without her noticing.

Eugene came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle. He rested his chin on her shoulder. She put her hands over his.

"Breathing taking, isn't it?" Rapunzel nodded.

"I've never seen a view like this before. Anywhere in the city," she said.

"I know." Eugene removed one arm from Rapunzel. He pointed at the crest of the horizon. "Look, you can just see the ocean." Rapunzel followed Eugene's arm. Her mouth fell open, stunned again. The sun was catching the distant water's waves, telling all who had the view that the world was unending. Rapunzel stared.

"You were so lucky to have this view."

"Yeah. It was one of the perks of living here. Just wait until night, though; the city lights look like stars that are on the wrong side of the sky." Eugene let his hands fall away. Rapunzel wished he hadn't. She turned around to him. He was walking into the kitchen.

"How old were you when the Kings adopted you?" Rapunzel asked.

"I was fifteen, and I was an ass. Dad got convicted when I was thirteen and in the two years before I got here, I'd done some… stupid stuff. Kind of surprised the Kings didn't see me as a lost cause." Eugene opened the fridge. "Holy crap!"

"What?" Rapunzel quickly came up beside Eugene and looked in the refrigerator. "Oh, geez." It was bursting with food. Expensive, delicacy kind of food. Steaks, cuts of chicken, wines, pastries, caviar, sushi.

"And that was one of the downsides of having rich, cultured parents." Eugene let the door close. "I never got a decent cheeseburger." Rapunzel giggled, slipping her hand into his. Eugene looked down at her. She stood on her tip toes and kissed him. He smiled.

"What was that for?"

"Just cause." She tugged at Eugene's arm. "I want to see your old room." He frowned.

"It's not that impressive, Rapunzel."

"Come on," she whined. He rolled his eyes.

They walked down a hall that ran parallel to a wall of windows. Rapunzel soon realized that the penthouse was the whole area of the building. Rapunzel wondered how big each room was in the luxurious apartment. Eugene led her to a door. He opened it and flipped a switch. He spread his arms with a flourish.

"This is my old room."

He was right. It wasn't that impressive. It was big, like she had assumed, but not impressive. The walls were painted a light blue, but no pictures adorned them. There was a double bed, made up with white sheets. An end table sat next to the bed, with a plain lamp. There were two windows and a closet door and lots and lots of boxes. They were stacked four high and three deep.

"What's with all the boxes?" Rapunzel asked, stepping in.

"That's all the crap I cleared out for you when you moved in." Rapunzel looked back at him, shocked.

"All that came from the spare room?"

"Most of it. You forget, Rapunzel," he said, walking over to open the blinds of the windows, "I've had two past lives before I met you." Rapunzel cocked her head.

"Has anyone ever told you, you have an odd way of talking about yourself?"

"All the time."

Rapunzel shook her head and looked back at the boxes. She noticed a large rectangle, wrapped in brown paper with an envelope taped to it. Curious, she picked it up.

"What's this?" She showed it to Eugene. He gave it a funny look.

"I have no idea. I didn't put it in here." Eugene took the package. He set it down on a desk in the corner. He pulled the letter off and opened the envelope. He scanned it. "Oh." He turned to Rapunzel. "My parents decided to give one of your paintings back."

"Really? Which one?"

"Eugene's."

"Oh." Rapunzel blushed ever so slightly. "Well, that was nice of them."

"Yeah, nice." Eugene left the letter with the painting and crossed to Rapunzel. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. "Very nice of them."

They left the bedroom and went back to the large open living room.

"Well, we have this whole place to ourselves," Rapunzel said. "What do you intend to do? Watch movies? Play video games."

"Please, Rapunzel, I act more sophisticated than that when I'm on vacation." He opened a bag of luggage. "You and I are going… swimming!" He pulled out a pink women's bathing suit and blue swim trunks. Rapunzel stared at them. She didn't recall packing a swim suit.

"Eugene, there is no public pool anywhere near here."

"Give me credit! Just go change into this and I'll show you where the pool is." Rapunzel snatched the lycra article from Eugene, not remembering seeing any sign that said swimming pool in the lobby. She looked down at the swim suit.

"This isn't mine," she said, holding it up to examine.

"No, I bought you a new one." Rapunzel looked at him quizzically.

"Why?" Rapunzel heard indignation creeping into her voice.

"Because it would be rude of me to go through your things. And I figured you wouldn't pack one." Rapunzel was almost speechless; she could hardly believe Eugene's audacity.

"How do you even know my size?"

"From when you actually let me do the laundry."

"Oh. You're creepily observant." Eugene shrugged, smirking.

Eugene showed her a bathroom she could change in and he left to change himself. When he closed the door, Rapunzel rubbed the bridge of her nose. Just what sort of man was she dating, that he learned her clothing size and insisted she wear certain things? Rapunzel looked at the pink swim suit again. It was actually fairly conservative. It didn't come down too low in the front, or back. It looked like it would cover her whole bottom, unlike some skimpy swimsuits. It even had a cute pattern; little flowers were dotted all over it. Rapunzel was actually surprised Eugene didn't buy a bikini. Any normal guy probably would. But Eugene was really sensitive to her… insecurities. Rapunzel sighed. He was too good for her.

Rapunzel tried to imagine Eugene buying a woman's bathing suit. She giggled at the image she came up with: him in a trench coat pulled up around his face, shades pushed too far up, slipping the cashier a $100 dollar bill and telling them to keep the change. But in reality, she decided Eugene wouldn't be _that_ embarrassed. He'd probably be more like, "yeah, dat's right," and puff out his chest, which would be fairly amusing too.

She changed and was amazed by how well the suit fit. It wasn't too tight, or too loose.

"Just how well does he know me?" Rapunzel asked her reflection.

Rapunzel left the bathroom just as Eugene was coming down the hall in his swim trunks. He beamed when he saw Rapunzel.

"Wow! That looks absolutely fantastic on you," he said, looking her up and down. He gave her a thumbs up. Rapunzel fidgeted under his gaze.

"Well, thank you, but I'm just going to say again that it's weird that you bought me a swimsuit."

"Alright, I promise I'll never buy you another swim suit." He put his right hand over his heart. He kissed her forehead. "I only did it because you weren't getting my hint."

"You're the one with the slow girlfriend." Rapunzel knew his intention all along; she just never suspected he'd fix the game.

"I wouldn't say you're slow. But anyway! Pool! Allow me to show you to the elevator." Eugene put his hand on Rapunzel's back and began to lead her from the bathroom door. Rapunzel dug her heels into the floor as best she could on hard wood floors.

"Wait a minute. I'm not going out in the hall dressed like this."

"Who said anything about the hall?" Eugene took her to a secluded area of the penthouse that had an old birdcage like elevator.

"Okay, does this thing lead to the bat cave and are you really Batman?"

"Yes, and Max is my trusty sidekick, the boy wonder. You know, that's actually what I thought too, when I first saw this thing. Just get in and you'll see where it takes you."

"Again with keeping things from me. If this leads to another rich secret family member, I might just walk out on you." Eugene laughed as the two got in the elevator. He pressed the up button. The cage jerked to life and grinded up the shaft. It stopped suddenly and the doors parted. Eugene stepped in front of Rapunzel and opened the door before them. Sunlight burst through and Rapunzel had to shield her eyes. She followed Eugene's voice out.

"See, this is where there's a swimming pool." Rapunzel was forced to let her jaw drop a third time. The roof of the building had been turned into a private oasis in the middle of the city. Bushes and small trees lined a stone walk way that led to a large pool. An awning sat over the water, shading anyone from the sun's rays. There was an area set aside for a bar and table with chairs. At anytime, the Kings could have a pool party on the skyline.

"Eugene," Rapunzel said slowly, "I don't really care about money, but I'm really curious to know just how much your parents make."

Aw, geez." He scratched his chin. "I've got no idea. I saw some of Dad's paper work once, and all I remember is a lot of zeros."

_He says it so nonchalantly,_ Rapunzel thought.

"Well," Eugene looked down at Rapunzel, "shall we go for a dip?"

"Well, since you've been so insistent, I guess so." Eugene bolted for the edge of the pool. He jumped in the air, brought his legs up and prepared for impact.

"CANNON-BALL!"

Splash! The water rippled in great waves as Eugene sank all the way to the bottom. His body expanded and he pushed off, rising back to the top. His head broke the water and he grinned at Rapunzel.

"You coming in, Blondie?" He waved for her to come over. She walked to the edge and sat down, putting her feet in.

"You know, you really can't call me 'Blondie' anymore." Rapunzel twirled a brown strand. He put his arm up on the side, resting his chin there.

"It's a term of endearment." After a pause, "I could call you Punzie."

"Absolutely not." Eugene laughed, pushing away from the wall.

"Aren't you going to get in?"

"I'm fine on the side." Eugene scrunched his face.

"You're not on your period, are you?" His face flushed ever so slightly. Rapunzel's flushed more.

"No! I just… like sitting on the side of the pool. That's what I always do." Rapunzel kicked some water at Eugene. "Besides, it's easier to do that."

"No fair, you have higher ground." Eugene splashed back. Rapunzel put her hands up, shrieking. She sent more water his way. "Agh, that went in my mouth!" Rapunzel was about to apologize for that, when Eugene grabbed her wrists and pulled her off the side. She fell like lead into the water.

Eugene was still holding on to her, but she frantically began to flail her arms and legs, bending her body as she attempted to tread. One wrist came free form Eugene's hand and her head slipped under. She came up, sputtering. Instinctively, she went to the nearest solid mass to hold onto; Eugene. Her legs wrapped around his body, her arms flying to cling tightly to his neck. She buried her face in his chest and heaved great breaths, still feeling the panic and water in her gut. Eugene's arms were around her.

"Oh, God, Rapunzel, I'm so sorry," he said quietly. "God, I'm stupid, I didn't even notice. I never would have pushed for us to go swimming if I'd known you can't swim." Rapunzel shook her head.

"I should have told you, but I'm always embarrassed to admit it."

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about. There are plenty of people out there who can't swim." Eugene put Rapunzel back on the side of the pool. He had a time prying her off (not that he complained). He turned his back to her. Rapunzel looked at him curiously. "Get on my back; you can still swim that way." Her face turned red immediately.

"Eugene, no, it would be… it would be weird."

"There's no one else but us. Don't you want to cool off?" It was fairly hot. The air sizzled with what little moisture was there. "Besides, isn't it better to face your fears?" Rapunzel frowned. He always had to make sense.

Rapunzel slid herself off, putting her arms around Eugene's neck again. She let her legs hang free, trusting Eugene enough to keep her safe.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Don't let go."

Eugene paddled around the pool, turning himself around sometimes to swim backwards, pulling Rapunzel by the hands. They said nothing, but Rapunzel enjoyed herself, smiling at Eugene. He was so easy to trust.

They spent much of the rest of the afternoon in this playful manner. Eugene would lead Rapunzel around the pool for a bit, then she'd sit on the side and watch him continuously jump in, shouting things, like a kid, purposely splashing her. When it was getting late, Eugene got out and produced two fluffy white towels from a chest by the pool. He handed one to Rapunzel and began to dry himself off.

They went back into the penthouse and Rapunzel noticed for the first time that the A/C was on. She shivered at the cool air. Eugene rubbed her shoulders.

He suggested they wash the chlorine off. She grabbed her whole overnight sack and Eugene showed her to his parents' room, saying they wouldn't mind if she used the master bath. He left to use a different shower.

The master bedroom was huge. It was at least twice the size of hers and Eugene's room back at the apartment. There was a picture window overlooking the city. The curtains were pulled back to reveal the sun beginning to set. Shadows already darkened the far most eastern parts of New Sonnenburg. Rapunzel wished it was darker outside, so she could see the city lights. Rapunzel took in the rest of the room. Two plush chairs and a low coffee table were placed in front of the window. Some books sat there. The bed was king size. _Appropriate_, thought Rapunzel. The comforter was red, with a sheen to it when light hit it. Rapunzel figured it must have a silk content. Pillows were piled up high at the headboard, some pillow cases having the same red covering. Two cherry wood end tables sat on either side of the bed with identical dark blue ceramic lamps with gold shades. Photographs of the Kings and Eugene sat everywhere in the room along with more paintings. They were mostly still life's of flowers. The one opposite the bed was painted like a Monet; blurry, until you got far enough away from it. It was a field of sunflowers.

Rapunzel finally noticed the door to the bathroom. She wondered just how big the bathroom would be.

It must have been modeled off of a Roman bath. Everything was made of marble: the floor, the counter, the tub, the shower tiles. The bath tub was large enough to fit five people. It was even one of those coveted Jacuzzi bath tubs. The shower stall had a glass door that was frosted. It was large for a stall; Rapunzel thought that too much air would flow by. No matter how hot you made the water, you'd still be cold.

All manner of bottles lined the two sink counter. The left sink had a considerable amount more and the cosmetics were far more feminine. Pink and purple perfume bottles sat next to expensive lotions and skin care products. The other sink only had shaving cream, after shave, and cologne. It was very easy to tell his and hers.

The tub was lined in much the same way with bottles. They were all bubble bath solutions. A window was right over the tub, almost large enough to be a picture window. One didn't really have to worry about modesty; the penthouse was high up and only someone with a telescope or something close to could see anything.

Rapunzel looked at the tub longingly. A bubble bath seemed like such a good idea, but Eugene was waiting on her…but there was only a shower at the apartment… What the hey? She was on vacation. Rapunzel stripped off her damp swimsuit and turned on the facet in the tub. She selected a bubble bath; honeysuckle. She delighted in the sight to see the bubbles form and grow. She turned the water off and stepped in. She dunked her head, scratching her scalp to remove the chlorine than came up for air. She leaned back on the side of the tub and sighed. Eugene was lucky to have had this life and she was going to enjoy it while she had it.

While Rapunzel had her bubble bath, Eugene had gotten a quick shower and was making dinner and drinks in the kitchen. He sautéed onions, pouring wine on them. He then threw in some herbs and started a pot of rice. He started another pan for two cuts of chicken breast. He browned the meat then put everything into one pan. He put a lid on it and pulled out fixings for drinks.

Eugene didn't drink much actually. His father was a drunk and alcoholism could be genetic. He never wanted to be like his dad. He had concluded that a drink every now and then was not a bad thing; moderation and all that. He actually had never even considered working in a bar until Vlad offered him the job when he decided to move out of the Kings' apartment. Even working in a bar, he'd never been tempted to drink, but he was on vacation. Rules always go out the window when you're on vacation.

One of the drinks Eugene made up was something he'd stumbled upon in a rather dated booze book. It was called a 'pink panther.' As the named stated, it was a pink concoction, a martini. It had grenadine, lime, lemon, pineapple juice, Sprite, and one shot of gin, vodka, and rum each. Eugene actually substituted the gin with whiskey; he was allergic to gin. He found that out one unfortunate night drinking with Max. Just because he didn't want to be a drunk didn't mean he'd never been drunk.

He mixed that up and set it aside to be served with dinner. He was mixing a vodka fruit cocktail for himself when he heard Rapunzel's footsteps behind him.

"Dinner's almost done, Blondie. I took the liberty of preparing tonight's dinner since you always cook and it's your vacation…" Eugene trialed off when he turned around.

Rapunzel was standing barefoot in front of him, her head cocked, her eyes wide as she stared at him. She was wearing the purple evening gown from the art show. It drug on the floor, since she wasn't wearing heels. Her hair was still damp, but the messy, stringy look only added to her beauty in the moment. She had her arms behind her back, which only accentuated her bust. Even without make-up or jewelry, Rapunzel still made Eugene's mouth hang slack jawed for second. She blinked at him.

"I thought it would be fun to wear on vacation. Is it weird?" she asked. Eugene quickly recovered.

"No, but if I'd know this was going to be a formal event, I'd have packed my cummerbund and bow tie." All Eugene was wearing was a pair of plaid sleeping pants. That was it. Rapunzel looked down at the dress, then back at Eugene.

"What's the matter, you don't like it?" she teased.

"Of course not, but now I feel like an idiot for being shirtless in front of such a fine lady," he said, bowing a bit. Rapunzel giggled.

"I don't mind you being shirtless," she said through a blush. Eugene had to blush too.

"Uh…," he stammered out. "I made dinner."

"You said that already."

"Right." Eugene tapped his hands on the counter. "Uh…I made drinks." He gestured to the metal shaker. Rapunzel propped her head up on the table.

"Mm, trying to get an underage girl drunk, are you?"

"Rapunzel, as far as I am concerned, you and I are on a private island in international waters; therefore laws are none existent." Rapunzel still gave him a dubious look. He laughed. "Don't worry, yours isn't that happy. And you can't even taste the alcohol." He brought a martini glass out and poured out the pink booze. He pushed the glass in front of Rapunzel. She took it, sniffing it slightly. Eugene made an impatient sound. It smelled very fruity. She took a small sip. It had the same carbonated bite of soda and it tasted very much like pineapple juice.

"Well?" Eugene asked.

"Not bad."

"Geez, that's all you have to say? Way to hurt a bar-tender's feelings."

"Fine. It's good. Happy?"

"I guess." Eugene turned back to the stove. He lifted the lid on the pan. It must have been done, because he turned the fire off and set the pan on a cool burner. He opened a cabinet and pulled out two dinner plates. He dished out the food, splitting the rice evenly and putting one chicken breast on each plate. He picked them up and turned back to Rapunzel. "If you'll grab the drinks, we shall dine at the table."

"Mm, this really is a five star joint, isn't it?"

"Only the best."

Rapunzel followed Eugene to the dining table. It sat right in front of the picture window. The sun had set more and lights were flickering on all over the city. Car headlights flashed yellow and red beams in the pale lit streets. Eugene was wrong; it didn't look like the stars were on the wrong side; it was an ocean of light.

Eugene backtracked to the kitchen to pick up two forks. He came back and situated the plates, cups, and utensils on the table. Then he noticed that Rapunzel was staring out the window again. He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her once more.

"It really is a great view," Rapunzel said.

"Yeah, but the food will get cold if you keep staring." Eugene was right. Rapunzel sighed and moved back to the table. Eugene pulled a chair out for her and pushed it in when she sat. He sat himself down and picked up his drink. He offered it to Rapunzel. It took her a second to realize he wanted a toast. "To lazy days and lazy people," he said. Rapunzel smiled and shook her head. He always had to be silly. She took a sip of the pink panther then picked up her fork. The food still steamed a little. She blew on it and had a small bite. She widened her eyes in amazement.

"Wow, this is actually pretty good."

"You expected otherwise?"

"Well, you seem like the kind of guy who can only cook burgers on the grill," Rapunzel said, eating more of her dinner. Eugene frowned at Rapunzel, obviously hurt.

"You're nice, you know that?"

"I'm sorry, but you do." Rapunzel took another forkful. She chewed it thoughtfully. "Actually, where did you learn to cook even? Mrs. King doesn't seem like the cooking type either. Did your birth mom teach you?"

"Pfft, no. That woman was more along the lines of KFC and Burger King. It was my first foster mom who taught me, Miss Crown. She was an elderly woman, but very nice and a very good cook. I wasn't a big enough of an ass to give an old lady a hard time. I did try to behave around her. She also taught me how to sew a button back on. Very useful skill to have when you live on your own." Rapunzel smiled as an image popped into her head of Eugene with needle and thread as he squinted over a shirt. "Unfortunately, Miss Crown got sick a few months after I got there. She had to go into a home and I got moved to another house."

"I'm sorry." Rapunzel had no idea what to say; it seemed like a lot of the stories from Eugene's youth had a sad note to them, no matter how light he made them sound.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. Miss Crown got better. She's actually still alive, the old biddy. She moved down to Florida. We send each other Christmas cards. And she sends cookies too."

They ate the rest of their dinner with small talk. Once their plates were clear, Eugene took them and the glasses to the kitchen and rinsed them off in the sink. Rapunzel had followed him and was leaning over the island.

"That really was delicious Eugene. Maybe I'll let you cook more often."

"Not all men are helpless slobs who don't even know how to open a can of spam."

"Alright, fine, I'll never doubt your culinary expertise again." Rapunzel watched Eugene as he set aside the rinsed dishes. "Are you not going to wash those?" she asked.

"I'll do it later."

"Ah." Rapunzel thumped her hands on the counter. She looked around. "What do we do now?"

"Mm, well, with you all dressed up, there's only one thing to do." Eugene opened a drawer on the island and pulled out a little remote. He clicked it and the room was filled with music. A 40's swing number. Rapunzel started to laugh.

"No. You're parents have a remote controlled stereo system. Geez."

"Their philosophy is, 'if you have the money, use it.' My philosophy is, 'if it's there, use it.'"

"Ah, and what do you intend to do with the music?" Rapunzel asked, raising a brow. Eugene put the remote down and came around the island. He took Rapunzel's hand.

"Why, dance of course." He put a hand on the small of her back and practically lifted her to the open room. He began to lead her in a little jazzy jig of sorts. Rapunzel couldn't help but laugh.

"Eugene, this is ridiculous. I can't even dance." Eugene didn't let Rapunzel dampen his spirits.

"I can fix that." He let go of her and walked back to the remote. He ran through three songs until a waltz came up. "Here we go." Eugene went back over to Rapunzel. "Everybody can waltz."

"You know, people seem to know this 'everybody,'" Rapunzel grinned up at Eugene. He rolled his eyes. He took her hands in his, placing one on his shoulder and leaving the other in his own hand. He put his left hand on Rapunzel's waist. She tried to pull away. "Eugene, I really can't dance." This was a lie; Rapunzel just felt so silly. She didn't know why, but dancing so…informally was weird. Eugene sighed.

"Stand on my feet."

"What?" That was even worse. "No, I'm too heavy and-"

"Stand. On. My. Feet." He didn't say it sternly, but Rapunzel could hear he was getting frustrated. Looking down at his bare feet, Rapunzel was glad she wasn't wearing shoes. She gingerly placed a foot on the top of his. His grip tightened on her and Rapunzel found herself flattened against Eugene. She flushed, but he smiled down at her. He stepped to the side and put the two of them into a waltz. He danced the simple box shape and in time, Rapunzel got off his feet and danced with him. The two just focused on the other's eyes.

Rapunzel placed her head on Eugene's shoulder. He snuggled her head under his chin. He slowed their waltz to a little sway. The song appropriately changed to a very slow number. Rapunzel heard Eugene's heart. It was fluttering. Fluttering? Is this what she did to him? She smiled to herself. She thought she was the only one who fluttered.

Rapunzel's eyes snapped to attention. Her heart did flutter every time she was with Eugene. Every time she saw him, her heart fluttered. And it ached when he wasn't near. Clear realization washed over Rapunzel. She pulled away from Eugene and looked up at him.

"I love you, Eugene."

He stopped swaying them. He looked stunned. Should Rapunzel not have said those four words? She began to fret; you couldn't take 'I love yous' back. His face softened and his eyes crinkled.

"I love you too, Rapunzel." He moved his hands to her face and kissed her. Long, too long. But, Rapunzel didn't hate it. The kiss washed over her and it told her something: she felt ready.

Eugene pulled away and was going to start the dance again, but Rapunzel held firm.

"Eugene," she said, her heart starting to pound. It was becoming heavy in her ears. "Eugene, please," her voice was quivering, "please, make love to me." Did those words just leave her mouth?

Eugene didn't believe it either. His jaw dropped and he inhaled sharply. He was going to protest, she knew it.

"No." It was hard sounding, firm. He moved back from her, letting the music filled air take up the space between the two of them. Rapunzel didn't let him release her hands. She squeezed his fingers.

"Eugene, please. I, I want this."

"No," he repeated. He sounded cold. Eugene lifted one of Rapunzel's hands to her face. "You're trembling. I'm not going to."

"I'm cold." It was feeble, she knew. She still held onto Eugene. "Please, Eugene. I love you. Isn't that enough?"

"Of course it's enough." He pulled his hands from hers and cupped her face. "But it also isn't." He gently rubbed his thumbs over the tops of her cheeks. "I can't… make love to you when I know you're scared."

"I'm not scared."

"Yes, you are."

"Well, what if I am? I want to face my fears. You said so today that's it's better to face your fears."

"Sex is a completely different fear." Eugene took his hands from her face and threw them in the air. "It's in its own special little bracket, away from all the other fears."

"Eugene, I'm tired of being afraid." This time, Rapunzel held Eugene's face. "I've spent my whole life running, or just standing still, waiting, dreaming of freedom. You gave me that freedom, Eugene. I want my life to begin and you make me not afraid of anything." Eugene looked away; he was becoming torn by his own feelings and Rapunzel's pleading. He looked down at the floor then back up at her. He'd made his eyes cold and uninviting.

"Rapunzel, you really shouldn't tempt me." She cocked her head, taking her hands off his face. "I'm a dangerous man." He paused. "I could hurt you." Rapunzel swallowed a lump from her throat.

"I know you won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You make me sure."

"You're still scared."

"I'd rather be scared with you than with someone else." Rapunzel's words struck a chord in Eugene's heart.

He blew out his cheeks, his shoulders dropping. His resolve was fading. Rapunzel did have to admire him, and love him even more for not leaping on her. He was way too decent of a guy. He scratched his head. He looked slowly up at her, letting their eyes talk. Rapunzel did not blink. She willed all her determination into her gaze. Eugene's face finally softened.

"We really shouldn't, Rapunzel. I mean, you had drinks tonight. You're pixilated and can't give proper consent."

"You know I'm not drunk."

"Yeah, I do." He held her face again. She put her small hands on his wrists. "You're breaking me, you know that?" Rapunzel grinned apologetically. "Once it's done, there's no turning back, sweetie. Are you absolutely sure?"

"I couldn't be surer, Eugene. I know I love you, and you told me the same thing. What more do we need?" Even as Rapunzel was arguing her point, she was also hoping these words would stop her heart from being a thousand beats per minute.

"Trust."

"I do trust you." Rapunzel brushed a stray hair that had fallen into Eugene's eye away. "Please, Eugene, stop trying to avoid it. I said yes. I know you want to say yes too."

Eugene opened his mouth, but closed it. Instead of saying anything, he leaned down to Rapunzel and kissed her again. It wasn't a long kiss, like before; it was many, and it wasn't just over her lips. He went over her nose and eyes and down her jaw line. Rapunzel desperately tried to keep up, but Eugene knew what he was doing better than she did.

Her heart began to race even faster than it had been. Oh, surely it was going to explode. It was happening, it was really happening. She was going to do the thing she swore she'd never do.

As Eugene still kissed her, Rapunzel ran her hands over his bare chest, feeling every little raise of his many scars. Again, she wondered where they came from. Her hands came up to his toned arms. There were scars there too. She slid her hands to his neck. Even that was not smooth. He was perfect to her, yet he had so many imperfections.

Eugene stopped kissing her, but only long enough to pick her up princess style. Her heart raced quicker and she almost became light headed and not for being lifted off the ground.

He took the two down the hall to his old room, full of his boxes from his previous lives. The blinds were still open and city light flickered in.

He set her down, and left her standing. His hands stayed on her shoulders. She felt his fingers twitching to tug down the strap of her dress. He pulled away.

"I'm going to ask you one more time, and don't you dare answer right away; are you sure?" He said the question so slowly, like she did not fully comprehend the situation. Rapunzel breathed. If only her heart would stop pounding in her ears, it was so distracting.

Rapunzel felt safe. Safe with Eugene. He was not going to hurt her, and he wouldn't use her and abandon her either. If he was that kind of a guy, he would have given up a long time ago. And she loved him, loved him like no one else before. And he had said the same thing. It all felt right to her.

"Yes, Eugene, I'm sure."

Eugene closed his eyes, his brows puckering up in a weak grimace. His mouth was a thin line between a frown and a smile. He opened his eyes.

"Just tell me if it hurts." Eugene didn't give her a chance to agree or even question his words. His lips found hers again and only the sound of breathing and soft little smacks of saliva filled the room.

His hands were on her face again and she left hers on his hips. She really didn't know what to do and she was waiting for Eugene to walk her through the steps.

His fingers trailed down her neck and back to her shoulders. His fingers ran the sides of her spine, causing every vertebra to crackle with electricity. He pulled her in. Rapunzel let her hands go to his back too. Her heart jump started when she felt the slight, smooth movement of his shoulder blades; they felt so powerful.

His hands came up her back again, and Rapunzel felt Eugene begin to tug the zipper down of the dress. His fingers danced over the new exposed skin, but he suddenly stopped. Eugene quickly pulled back, like he'd touched fire.

"You're not wearing a bra."

"No. There's built in support in this dress." Why did that bother Eugene? As soon as Rapunzel asked herself this, she realized Eugene's discomfort. Rapunzel would be half naked once the dress was removed and Eugene didn't want to…expose her so soon, or so she figured. Geez, he _was_ too decent of a guy. Eugene looked at her, as if she had the epiphany of the moment. She shrugged her shoulders. "Just keep…kissing me." Eugene cocked his head, and complied.

He wrapped her tighter in his arms and he gently eased the two down on the bed. Rapunzel's legs were over the side and Eugene's were cradling her body. Now she felt vulnerable. Eugene must have sensed this, because he stopped again, just long enough to pick Rapunzel up again and move her to the middle of the bed. He left the two of them sitting up. The one strap of Rapunzel's dress fell down. As a reflex she put her arms up to keep the front from falling.

Eugene cupped her face. His lips were to hers again, but he was fiercer now with the passion he was showing. He tugged at her lips with his, sometimes softly nipping at them with his teeth. His head tilted down to her neck and he began to nuzzle her there. A shallow breath escaped her mouth. Eugene's arms were around her again. She tried to do what he did: she rubbed her hands over his bare back, brought a hand up the back of his neck and through his hair, which was still damp from his shower. She stirred up his Old Spice scent. Eugene had his own hands pressed against her bare back. She never noticed before just how rough and calloused his hands were. They scratched and Rapunzel was sure they were scoring her skin. But she…enjoyed it.

Eugene shifted; he put one hand on the bed and leaned the two down, letting Rapunzel's head be nestled in the pillows. He was kneeling over her again. Rapunzel looked up at him; she liked the way his hair hung limply as he bent over her. She liked the angle.

Eugene's hand hovered over the front of her dress.

"Do you want it off?" he asked, cautiously.

"Well, I don't want it ruined."

Eugene grinned an odd, wolfish grin. It was a smile Rapunzel had never seen before. It sent a shock all the way through her and straight down to her center. Rapunzel suddenly noticed an odd feeling between her legs. It was new, but not entirely unfamiliar. It was instinctual.

Gingerly, Eugene pulled off the dress. As Rapunzel's chest became exposed, her arms went up again to cover herself. Eugene tried to not let that reflex bother him. He had to shimmy the dress off around her hips, lifting her up a bit to release all the fabric. As it came down her legs, Eugene marveled at Rapunzel.

Eugene gently tossed the dress onto a stack of boxes. He then looked down upon Rapunzel. She was staring up at him again, still covering herself. Her eyes were wide and wondering and… so innocent. Eugene came down on her, rubbing his hands over her arms. He needed her calm and relaxed.

"You're gorgeous, you know that." He tugged gently at her arms. She fought for a half of a second, but allowed him to look at her fully. But he didn't. Eugene closed his eyes and began to kiss her collarbone. His lips were warm and lingering. She liked his touch, but…she wanted more. It was hard to explain, but she wanted to be touched more. Rapunzel pulled her arms from Eugene's hands and laced her fingers through his. He lifted his head, curious to see what she was doing. Rapunzel brought his hands down to her stomach. She put them palm down, then slid her hands up his arms and to his shoulders. Eugene cocked his head.

"You sure?" he asked. Rapunzel could only nod.

Eugene worked his hands over Rapunzel's mid section. God, his hands were so much warmer than his lips! He massaged her ribs, slowly coming up to her breasts. He paused, just to see if she was uncomfortable. She wasn't. Eugene didn't want to upset her by going too fast, but he wanted to love her. He slowly lowered his head, so she could understand what he was doing. He put his mouth to one of her nipples. Rapunzel tensed. He went clockwise, counter-clockwise with his tongue. He tweaked the other between fingers. Rapunzel made little sounds. Delicious sounds. He switched breasts. Rapunzel turned her head as her face puckered in pleasure. Why did it feel so good?

Eugene removed his mouth. He backed away from Rapunzel. He put his hands on her hips. He tugged at her underwear. Rapunzel suddenly wished she had a pair of sexy panties, instead of Hanes for Her from Wal-mart. But Eugene didn't seem to mind. He pulled the underwear off and tossed those aside. Rapunzel went back to a defensive position.

Eugene sighed. He sat back on his heels and scratched his head.

"Rapunzel, you're obviously uncomfortable. We should just-"

"Stop asking me that." She pushed herself up into a sitting position. She resisted the urge to cover herself again. "Trust me when I tell you that I want this to happen." Rapunzel put herself against Eugene's chest. "I mean it." She pulled away and looked at him. "I'm just a little jumpy."

Eugene smiled, cupping her face.

"Well, I guess that's okay; so am I." Rapunzel looked at Eugene. He just smiled again and kissed her. He was being fierce again.

Eugene pulled Rapunzel into his lap. He squeezed her shoulders with one of his large, strong hands. The other, he placed over her chest and brought it down her body. He ran it over her thighs. He stopped right above her center.

Rapunzel's heart raced anew. She inhaled his usual coffee and Old Spice scent as she took a deep breath. She almost became light headed.

"Do you have to touch me there?" Rapunzel _was_ fine with the idea of sex, but anything other than Eugene's… thing…_there_ seemed…gross.

Eugene grimaced.

"Rapunzel, I need to know if you're… wet enough." Eugene almost blushed. "It'll hurt for you if you're not."

"Okay," she said feebly. He kissed her again and slipped his hand between her legs. He pressed a finger against her. Rapunzel's voice caught and she squeaked. Eugene liked the sound. He rubbed his thumb around her opening. She bit her lip. It felt _too_ good. Eugene took his actions a step further and glided a finger inside.

God, she was slippery. And so warm.

Eugene played around, curious to know what other sort of sounds Rapunzel could make. Her inside was soft and even with just a finger, he could feel her heart pulsating in her walls. She 'ah'-ed and 'ooh'ed and even mewled. Her head rolled around on her shoulders as she tried to control her breathing, but it did no good. Her lungs were acting on their own, sporadically taking in air when they could.

He fit another finger in and massaged her with more vigor. Rapunzel got a little louder. She dug her nails into his chest. She squirmed from the sensations. Eugene decided she wouldn't be able to take anymore.

He laid Rapunzel back by the pillows. She was panting lightly. Through her lashes, she watched as Eugene removed his pj bottoms.

He wasn't wearing underwear.

_Oh my god!_ Rapunzel's eyes snapped to attention. Eugene's…penis was HUGE. Granted, she didn't have any references (she hadn't taken life drawing yet), but the thing throbbed and pulsated. And it was ugly. Too red and…veiny. It was like looking at an old person's leg with varicose veins. And the tip, it was out of place; too smooth and pink.

_That's supposed to _fit_ inside me?_ Eugene's fingers had been more than enough to fill up the space. That was going to hurt.

Eugene reached to the left of Rapunzel. She thought he was going to caress her face again, but he instead opened the drawer of his night stand. Rapunzel turned her head to see what he was doing. He reached into the drawer and pulled out a little square of foil. He tore it and took out the condom.

Rapunzel had an 'oh, yeah' moment. She'd forgotten all about protection; thank god Eugene had remembered. The last thing she wanted to do was become pregnant from her first time.

Rapunzel watched, curious to see how the little piece of rubber would go on. Turns out that you roll it down the shaft. His ugly throbbing appendage disappeared underneath the white rubber. Well, at least she didn't have to see _that_ anymore, but now he just looked weird, like a clown's balloon was there.

Once more, Eugene positioned himself over Rapunzel. He spread her legs, holding tightly to them as he lifted them unto his own bent legs. He looked at her.

"I'm going to ask you one more time, are you-"

"Just do it!"

Eugene bowed his head. He took a hold of himself and placed his tip at her apex. The pressure was different from the fingers. _Way_ different. With one last quizzical look at her (which she glared back at) Eugene thrust his hips forward and fully entered Rapunzel.

Rapunzel gasped and almost cried out. It didn't hurt, but it certainly was a shock to her system. The new friction that had been created was something she'd never experienced before. And it had surprised her. Too much.

Eugene grunted, his face grimacing ever so slightly.

"Rapunzel, you're too tight. You need to relax." Rapunzel tried; she counted her breathing, but she became sensitive to it, listening to its quickness. She heard her heart pounding with her previous anxiousness. Hearing it only made her relive the moment of seconds before. Her heart quickened and she tensed again. Eugene furrowed his face more. His head dipped. "Rapunzel," he moaned out. Rapunzel caught a glimpse at his face. He had a strange grin.

"Eugene," Rapunzel said quietly. Her voice croaked from the new feelings. He looked at her.

"You've got relax, babe. I can't…do anything like this."

"I can't." Rapunzel was finding it hard to think straight now. Her only thought was trying to not notice that Eugene, that his… thing… was… in…side her. She had asked for it, but asking and expecting the action was far different than the action itself.

"I think I can fix that." Eugene came up to her face. She felt him shift slightly, causing her to yelp. Eugene retracted. He sighed. He looked crestfallen. "Rapunzel, I'm stopping." His hand moved to pull out. She grabbed for him.

"No," she pleaded. "I meant it when I said I want to be with you. Please, don't stop. I love you." Eugene cupped her face.

"You're scared," he said gently.

"I told you I want to stop being afraid. Please, Eugene. I want you." Tears began to trickle from her eyes. She looked so helpless and needy and incredibly small. "I want you to show me you love me." Eugene leaned down to her face, his gaze unblinking. He hovered just above her nose, staring into her eyes.

"Then you've got to trust me, and you've got to relax, please. You're holding me pretty tight, Blondie," he chuckled. Rapunzel forced an apologetic smile. Eugene ran a finger down her face and kissed her, softly, not fiercely like he'd done earlier. His lips weren't hard against hers and he was slow. Rapunzel sighed into his mouth and noticed that she was slackening. Rapunzel suddenly remembered reading something about kissing being a type of therapy thing. Something about specific nerves being triggered in the lips or something like that.

With Eugene now free, he moved his hips back, slowly. A cloud of passion passed over Rapunzel's eyes. Her thoughts became fuzzy, almost frayed, like an old piece of fabric. Eugene moved in again and her foggy state intensified. Once more, Eugene moved himself to play Rapunzel for her notes. She wasn't silent for long.

She mostly 'ah'-ed, her mind finding itself too stupid to come up with anything else. After awhile, Eugene asked her to call his name. She had to think for a moment to remember it.

"Yoo-ooh-geen." She stressed all the vowels. His name sounded foreign on her tongue.

Rapunzel's body began to act on its own. Her hips bucked up, causing a new sensation as he was pressed against her. Eugene made a sound of pleasure of his own. It was low and deep and somehow, his resonance vibrated in her body. He said her name in the same low fashion. The way he made it sound; it was exotic.

Eugene's pace increased; so did Rapunzel's sensitivity. Her breath increased in time with his. She was becoming so hot. She was naked, but she was so hot.

A little shock erupted deep in Rapunzel's midsection and spread through all her body. Her limbs crackled with the electricity as her hips bucked up again. She was left trembling, her mind reeling and it happened again. What was happening? If Rapunzel had been able to string two thoughts together before, it was certainly impossible now.

Eugene grunted as he pushed one final time into Rapunzel. He held his position, panting heavily. Rapunzel was panting too; strained little shallow breaths. Her cheeks were flushed and she was incredibly sweaty. But it was hot. Slowly, he pulled out and flopped beside her. His chest heaved. He looked at her. Her eyes were opening slowly. She looked a little dumbstruck.

"Rapunzel, are you alright?" Her expression had him worried.

"Yes," she said simply. "I'm just trying to…think straight." Eugene chuckled.

"Well, don't. You've got to let all the emotions pass first." He rolled on his side and slipped an arm under her. He pulled her too him. "Thank you, so much, for trusting me." He kissed the top of her head. Rapunzel put a hand on his chest, and like he'd done to her, kissed it.

"You taste like salt," she said, smiling. He laughed a little again. Eugene sighed.

"You've changed so much since I first met you. You used to be scared of me touching you; now look." He rubbed a hand between her shoulder blades and kissed her cheek affectionately.

"Is change bad?"

"Not in this case," Eugene told her. "But you know; I would have waited for an eternity to be with you like this Rapunzel. I love you." He nuzzled his face into her neck.

"I love you too, Eugene." She closed her eyes. "Thank you, for doing this. I'm not scared anymore, not as long as it's you." As an afterthought. "How did I get you? You're too good for me."

"I think I'm the judge of that, Rapunzel. And I'm not perfect; you know I come from a dark place."

"But you got out. How did you get out, by the way?"

"That's a very long story, Rapunzel, and you and I are tired."

"I'm not tired," she lied, as she fought down a yawn.

"I'll tell you tomorrow, but I'll tell you the prolog; I wouldn't be here right now with you if it had not been for Nicolas and Isabelle King." He kissed her between the eyes. "Now go to sleep." Eugene pulled a blanket over them. "Pleasant dreams, princess."

Rapunzel mumbled pleasant dreams back.

And she did have pleasant dreams, dreams full of warmth and wishes made true.


	18. Chapter 18

_His name is Eugene Fitzherbert and he told me this story._

Chapter 18 – Tale of the Lucky One

Nine years earlier.

Eugene was bored out of his mind. He slouched in the hard chair, bouncing his knees, tapping the table. His head rolled on the back of the chair, his eyes trying to make the ceiling seem interesting. It looked like molded cottage cheese. Next to him, Mr. Hook sweated. He rubbed his brow, rapping at the table with his hook. Man, he could irritating. Eugene groaned.

"Ugh, I wish they'd get their asses in here and charge me already. I'm bored to tears."

"Eugene," Mr. Hook snapped, "be serious, for once in your life. God." Eugene rolled his eyes. "I can't get you out of this one, neither can Vlad. His bar isn't doing well again."

"What else is new?"

"Eugene! I'll say it again; be serious. What you just did was incredibly stupid! Where is your head, boy? Up your ass?" Eugene had no snappy comeback. He stayed silent. He was just so burnt out. Nothing thrilled him anymore, not even mouthing off to Mr. Hook.

Eugene sat up proper in his chair.

"I need to piss and I need to take a dump."

"The potty break'll have to wait, Fitzherbert." Eugene looked up to see the integration room door open. An officer walked in, a manila folder in hand. He was a tall, broad shouldered man with an incredibly round chin. His nose was slightly large, flattening out at the nostrils. He had a thick, well groomed mustache. It twitched with irritation at Eugene, as did the rest of the officer's body. He sat down opposite Eugene.

"Officer Gainey, how nice to see you again. And I see the fuzzy caterpillar on your lip is doing better. Yeah, it definitely looks better than the last time I saw it. Now it doesn't quite resemble an old lady's 'stache."

"You better watch your mouth, boy," hissed the officer.

"Ooh, I'm trembling in my five dollar Salvation Army shoes." Mr. Hook shot a glare at Eugene. He ignored it. "Come on, Gainey, let's stop this dance. You know I did the crime so now I gotta do the time. So just charge me and send me to juvie."

"You're not going to juvie this time."

"What?" Eugene's hot blood cooled for just a second. Gainey enjoyed Eugene's quizzical look.

"Eugene, this is your sixth offense in nine months, and this one is pretty serious. Your last charge of assault was just as serious, but the courts have been lenient on you, for too long if you ask me. Considering you're a repeat offender and that you're on parole from your last charge, the DA is prepared to charge you as an adult." Eugene tried to swallow his heart back down.

"You, you can't do that. He's only fifteen," Mr. Hook said.

"Mr. Hook, I know you have tried with this boy, even though you're not his foster parent. I have to admire that in you, still being able to see hope for such a hopeless cause." Eugene barred his teeth at Officer Gainey. "However, in this recent case, we can charge him as an adult. He was conscious of his actions, is a repeat offender-" Mr. Hook slammed his fist on the table.

"This was the first time Eugene stole a car. That has to count for something!"

"Grand theft auto is a serious crime. His petty little acts of larceny have been going on for the last two years, but it is escalading, Mr. Hook. You should know that, considering how he beat a man to a bloody pulp nine months ago."

"He pulled a gun on me," Eugene said, not liking where this conversation was going at all. "What was I supposed to do, let him shoot me?"

"You could have just left it at disarming him, but you had to go and break his leg."

"He came after me. How many times do I have to tell you that? It was self defense."

"You used violence in excess, but I've heard this all before, and that's a closed case now. Now, we have a new problem; you stole a car. That's not a slap on the wrist, Eugene. The only thing left for you now is real jail. And it's not pretty."

Eugene stared into his hands. Shit, he was going to be in prison just like his old man. He almost had to laugh; like father, like son.

"Which is why," Gainey continued, "I'm so disappointed that the victim in this case isn't pressing charges."

"What?" Eugene and Mr. Hook said in unison.

"You heard me; you're off the hook. Again. Now get out of this station before I frame you." Gainey stood and opened the door. Mr. Hook and Eugene stood too.

"But, I didn't pay bail."

"Someone else already did."

"Who," Eugene asked. Officer Gainey looked back at him.

"The same guy you stole the car from."

Eugene's mind attempted to comprehend the rush of information: he was going to jail, he wasn't going to jail, someone paid his bail, it was the person who he'd stolen the car from. Something didn't sound right.

Eugene and Mr. Hook followed Officer Gainey from the back of the station to the lobby. Other cops milled about; some had reports in their hands, others were leading criminals in. A handful of cops were on phones at their desks and just as many were standing around the coffee pot. In the lobby, there was a man and woman at the clerk desk. The man was signing papers and the woman was standing over his shoulder. They both were dressed nice, like corporate office nice.

The man looked considerably older than the woman, but Eugene assumed they were married, since they wore matching bands. The man had to be in his late thirties, maybe even close to forty. The woman was early twenties. The oldest she could be was twenty-three. They both had brown hair, but the woman's had a rusty red in it, while the man's was just brown. He had a full beard and mustache. To Eugene's surprise, Officer Gainey led him and Mr. Hook to these two.

"This is the boy, Mr. King." Gainey gestured to Eugene. The man turned and the woman stepped from behind.

"This is him?" asked the man. "He can't be any older than thirteen."

"I'm fifteen, you old goat." Officer Gainey and Mr. Hook gasped. Mr. Hook jerked Eugene's arm.

"Eugene," he said warningly.

The woman smiled.

"He has a mouth, doesn't he, dear?"

"And an attitude," agreed the man. He held out a hand to Eugene. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Eugene." Eugene didn't take his hand.

"Whatever." He turned to Officer Gainey. "Where are my guardians?" Eugene said the word 'guardian' like it was a joke.

"They're not coming," said the police officer. Eugene was a little shocked at this, but didn't let it show.

"We're actually the reason why they're not coming, Eugene," said the woman. Eugene turned to her. "We actually want to get to know you, because…" the woman trialed off, blushing.

"What my wife is trying to say is that we would like it if you would consider coming to live with us," said Mr. King, in an overly polite and business like fashion. "And if you'd like to maybe join us for dinner."

Eugene was used to being tossed around from crappy foster family to crappy foster family. That was actually sort of his plan. When his father got arrested and convicted and his mother gave up custody, Eugene had decided he wasn't going to let himself get attached to anyone. He'd faltered a bit with his first foster parent, Miss Crown, but that had been short lived. Since then, Eugene had been in eight homes in the last two years. His original plan had been working so far, and Eugene wasn't going to break his clean record just because a rich old fart and his bimbo trophy wife decided to adopt him.

The paper work hadn't taken that long, probably money, thought Eugene. It'd only taken two weeks for all documentation to be finalized. In those two weeks, Eugene had been staying with Mr. Hook, who was giving him a hard time, as usual.

"Don't you dare blow this one up, Eugene. You're fifteen years old for God's sake! Act like a man instead of a smartass brat. You know who those two are right? Nicolas and Isabelle King of Corona Enterprises. They practically run this city."

"So what, you want to keep their image clean?"

"Eugene, these two could actually do you some good. They want to adopt you."

"Which is fucking messed up, since I stole the d-bag's car."

"And stop using that language!"

"Oh, will you stop being a fucking parent! You've never tried to be one before now!" Mr. Hook had slapped Eugene for that. Eugene knew full well that he had tried to take Eugene in, but due to health problems, he wasn't qualified. Mr. Hook was ready to take Eugene in a heartbeat; he was his godfather after all and God knew he loved that boy.

After the slap, Mr. Hook sent Eugene to the guest room, where he'd set up sleeping quarters for the two weeks. As he walked to the room, Eugene bit his lip to keep back tears.

Eugene decided he really couldn't do much about be given away to another family, but this one was rich and stupid. He'd milk the gig for all that it was worth. That's what he was expecting to do when he moved in two weeks after meeting the Kings.

Eugene tried to keep his jaw clenched when he first entered the penthouse; the place was huge! And expensive: hard wood floors, gas fire place, granite counter tops, huge carved oak table, leather furniture. The foyer itself screamed money.

_Great,_ thought Eugene, _they're the flaunting type._

"I hope you don't mind the decorum. My husband had this apartment furnished before he married me, and this really isn't my style. I prefer country cottage," Mrs. King had said as she helped Eugene in with his luggage.

_Is that so, gold digger?_ thought Eugene rudely.

"Would you like to see your new room?" Mrs. King was being overly happy. Eugene knew, that one week with him and she wouldn't be Miss-Susie-Sunshine anymore.

"Don't rush me. I want to see this room first." Mrs. King shrugged off Eugene's callous tone and left his bag at the front of the hall. Eugene left the one he was carrying in the middle of the room.

Eugene wandered over to a large gray wall opposite the dining table.

"Why don't you got pictures on this wall?"

"Why don't we _have_ pictures on this wall?" Eugene turned to Mrs. King, giving her an incredulous look. She gave a breathy laugh, embarrassed.

"Sorry, that's a bad habit of mine. Taught by nuns." Eugene stared at her. "You know, because nuns make sure you know the English language."

"Yeah, I know. I was taught by nuns too, but I don't care."

"You're catholic?" Mrs. King cocked her head, surprised.

"What, it didn't say my religious affiliation on any of the forms you signed?" Mrs. King took a step back, like she'd been slapped. Eugene rolled his eyes and looked back at the gray wall. Suddenly it started to move. It wasn't a wall; it was a curtain. Slowly, it pulled back to reveal a picture window. Eugene's mouth opened in wonder; he couldn't help it. It cocked up into a grin as he marveled at the view of New Sonnenburg. The city stretched out under his feet and the panorama gave Eugene a feeling of power.

"Wow, I could used to a view like this."

"I know, isn't it lovely?" Mrs. King had come up behind him. Eugene jumped when she spoke. "If you look out to the west, you can just see the seascape." Eugene turned his eyes to where Mrs. King was looking. Sure enough, he could just see the waves.

Eugene felt a hand on his shoulder. He stepped from underneath it and glared up at Isabelle. She looked at him apologetically.

"Uh, would you like to see your room now?"

"Hold on," Eugene put his hand up as he turned away from Mrs. King. Eugene looked back out the window and paused. "Yep, I'm used to it." He turned back to her. "Now, I'm ready to see my room." Every time Eugene got a new family, he always made sure that they knew _he_ was the one calling the shots.

Eugene followed Mrs. King down a hall. She was carrying one of his two bags again.

"When do you want to get the rest of your things?" asked Mrs. King.

"This is all I own."

"Oh." She quickly tried to think of something else to say? "Nicolas and I have been so excited about you coming to live with us."

"Yeah? So, where is your husband?" _Out banging his secretary?_ Eugene thought.

"Office. He really wanted to be here to welcome you, but he couldn't get out of a meeting with Steve Jobs."

"Oh, really?" Eugene didn't care. The man could be in Taiwan building houses for all he cared.

Mrs. King stopped at a door.

"Well, this is it." And she opened it with a flourish.

It was entirely unimpressive. Large, but unimpressive. The walls were white and unadorned. There was a double bed on one wall, a desk with a nightstand and table lamp, a book shelf, a set of drawers, and two windows. Mrs. King set down the bag and opened the blinds. Midday light filled the room. She turned back to Eugene.

"You can unpack, or I could fix you something to eat."

"You don't look like the cooking type," Eugene said, trying to get rid of Mrs. King. She flushed and looked at the floor.

"Wow, you picked up on that?"

Eugene put his suitcase on the bed and clicked it open. Mrs. King sat on the edge of the bed. She ignored the glare Eugene gave her. Eugene started to throw things out of his bag. Shirts, pants, socks: he grabbed a whole pile and tossed it aside. A book fell out from the pile. Mrs. King picked it up.

"What's this?" she asked as she picked it up to read the cover.

Eugene snatched it from her hands.

"Nothing!" He opened the drawer of the night stand and dropped the book in with a thunk. He then took the piles of clothes, gathered them up in his arms, walked over to the dresser and shoved all the clothes into one drawer.

"You're not going to sort them?"

"I don't have that many," Eugene said snidely. Mrs. King cocked her head.

"We can fix that." She stood up. "Come on, I know I'm not that great of a cook, but I'm sure I can make you a sandwich." Mrs. King gestured Eugene out of the room, and as he passed, she smiled. She'd learned one thing about Eugene; he had an old book of fairytales.

Dinner had been ordered; Chinese takeout. Eugene ate shrimp fried rice. The Kings tried to engage Eugene in conversation, but he kept giving one word answers: whatever, yeah, no, and Idohknow, mumbled. After the plates were empty and cleared, the Kings asked Eugene if he wanted to watch a movie. Eugene said he'd rather sit in his bedroom.

"Well, before you pen yourself to solitude," said Mr. King, "we have something for you."

"As a little house warming gift," put in his wife. They lead Eugene over to the coffee table, where a little gift box was sitting. They handed it to Eugene and he opened it, unenthused. Once he got passed all the tissue paper, he looked at the gift, frowning. It was a picture frame.

"I know it's not much, but we were hoping," started Mrs. King, "that you'll come to think of us as your family." Eugene looked up at them, struck. "And if you do, we'd like to take a family portrait and you could put the picture in that frame." The Kings smiled, not brightly, but wistfully. Eugene looked from them and back to the frame.

"Thanks," he mumbled with his head down. Eugene shuffled off to his room, taking the frame with.

Husband and wife looked at one another.

"It's going to take awhile to get through to him," said Nicolas.

"But it'll be worth it, dear. In the end, it will be."

After a few weeks, the Kings enrolled Eugene in a private school, Golden Flower Academy, the best institution in the city. There were only two ways to get in: scholarship or money. Eugene now had the latter.

It was a waste of money, he thought. Eugene had never failed a class (being held back just meant more work), but he always half-assed all his homework. He was one of those guys who could remember and understand everything said and done in class, but then only did the tests. He was smart, almost brilliant even, but Eugene didn't care.

His first day, Eugene walked in wearing the red button shirt (untucked) and gold striped tie that was part of the uniform. He refused to wear the beige sweater vest. His hair was messy and he was entirely disinterested in the school and his peers. But they were certainly interested in him. Eugene had a black eye and a busted lip.

Two days before, Eugene had gotten into a turf war with another gang. Him and his buddies, the Stabbignton brothers were expanding their territory and the battle had been ugly, but Eugene came out the better. The younger brother had gotten his eye cut. He was still laid up in the hospital.

His teacher introduced him and Eugene ran his tongue over his busted lip, a bad habit he had. He liked the taste of copper.

"Class, this is Eugene Fitzherbert. He's just transferred here. Please be cordial to him."

_Cordial, how fucking stuffy can you get?_

Eugene was sat behind a skinny boy with light blonde hair, pale skin, and a horsey face. The boy turned around and extended a hand.

"Max Mustain."

"That's nice, ass-wipe."

"What did you just say to me?" The boy retracted his hand.

"I gave you my general unenthused greeting." Suddenly, the other boy stood up and punched Eugene right across the face. He fell out of his chair. Damn, the skinny kid could punch.

The class jumped away as Eugene bolted up and landed his own hit across Max's face. Max stumbled back, putting a hand to his mouth. When he pulled it back, he saw blood on his fingers. At the same moment, the boys lunged for the other's throat. The rest of the class watched, dumbstruck. Never in the history of the school had a fight ever broken out. They didn't know what to do. Neither did the teacher. He figured he needed to break up the fight, so he called the office and the school SRO and the principal came down. The two men pulled the boys apart, but not before Eugene gave Max a black eye of his own and Max made Eugene's lip even fatter.

"What is going on here?" asked the principal angrily. He was talking to Max.

"He instigated a fight," Max accused, pointing his finger at Eugene. Eugene swatted the hand from his face.

"Pointing is rude, dip-wad. So is starting a fight." Eugene shook the SRO off.

The room went dead silent.

"Mr. Fitzherbert," said the principal coldly, "just because of your recently acquired family status, I will not allow you to accuse our top student of starting such a display."

"Oh, you really think that goody-two-shoes over there isn't capable of getting into a fight? Wow, are you narrow minded." The other students gasped. The new kid had balls. And yes, that was the word they used when this incident was gossiped around school.

The principal pressed his lips together.

"My office. Both of you."

The two boys were marched down to the office. After they'd each given their own account, both were read the riot act.

"This academy has zero tolerance for violence of any kind. Mr. Mustain, I am severely disappointed in you." Max stared at the floor. Eugene rolled his eyes. He'd heard all this before at his many other schools. "You are at this school on a scholarship and even a slight misgiving against any of the rules of the institution could result in the immediate termination of your academic year. And you, Mr. Fitzherbert, you should carry yourself better." Eugene only stared, and not at the principal or the floor. "Your parents now are large names in this city. How do you think they would fair with the media if their newly adopted son was kicked out his first day at Golden Flower Academy?"

Eugene shrugged.

"They could deal."

The principal sighed. He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Considering the situation, it sounds to me that you both started it, so I will let the issue slide. This time, but I will be calling your parents." Max's head popped up and his face blanched. Eugene looked sideways at Max and saw his alarmed expression.

"Why bother doing that," he said, "when neither of us physically knocked the other out. Maybe if our injuries were a little more severe, sure. But we can both walk away from this. I mean, you could call my 'mommy and daddy,' but this kid, if he's never gotten into any trouble before, why give his parents the details? Why bother. I'm sure something like this will never happen again. Right, Max?" Eugene nudged the other kid. Max sneered at him, but nodded his head. The principal sighed again.

"Fine. You both will be given two hours detention to be served this afternoon after classes." Max's shoulders drooped.

The two were released from custody and they wandered back to their class. Eugene punched Max's arm in a buddy-buddy fashion.

"Look at it this way; at least you're not expelled."

"I suppose that's easy for you to say," Max snapped. "This is my first detention. This will go on my permanent record. You don't have much to worry about; you've got rich parents who paid the school to get you in here." Eugene's eyebrows went up.

"Wait, you specifically know my…parents." Eugene hadn't used that word in two years to describe his legal guardians.

"Yeah, the Kings. Gossip exists in private schools too. The Kings donated a wing and a whole section to the library. The school had to let you in. I on other hand had to work my butt off to get in here. I bet you don't know even what hard work is." Eugene grabbed Max's arm and spun him around.

"You don't know a damn thing about me, so don't go and assume anything." He let him go. "I've had to go through shit that even a scrappy, boo-hoo kid like you wouldn't be able to stomach." Eugene walked past Max. He turned back around. "Have you got both your parents?" Max made a face.

"Of course," he told Eugene, like he was stupid.

"Well, that's more than I've got. Money's not everything." Max made a face again and walked by Eugene. He didn't say anything as he passed.

"Well," Eugene said to himself, "the Kings should be happy. I made a friend."

After a few months or so, Eugene decided he had a pretty sweet gig with the Kings. They pussy-footed around him and he could do pretty much what he wanted. He still quarreled with Max at school, but the two kept it relatively civil. They still didn't like each other and tolerate was too strong of a word for how their relationship was. But Eugene had other people he had to deal with that were of far more concern than Max. His partners, the Stabbington brothers were getting edgy, waiting for Eugene to have some fun with them. Ever since Eugene started living with the Kings, he was hanging out with them less and less.

"I told you all; I'm working on plans for the future. Our future. We're gonna run this city. I'm just biding my time with these two. They seriously think they can change me, but just they wait. I'm milking all they've got, but I got to do it slowly, so they won't notice."

This was more or less a lie. Eugene had no plans and he wasn't 'milking' anything. Things were too good for him to screw up now. For once, he was actually trying to be…decent.

Actually, Eugene was trying to be a lot of things.

First of all, he was attempting to be 'dutiful' son to the Kings. Every now and then, he'd do chores around the penthouse. Sure, the Kings had hired help, but Eugene had this thing about cleaning; it was only done right if he did it. He kept his room cleaned and would do the dishes and dust. It all sort of depended on how he was feeling.

Eugene was also keeping most of his snide comments about the Kings to himself. They really weren't that bad of people. They were actually sort of nice. They asked him about his day, asked what he wanted for dinner, asked if he would like to have an outing. Being the center of attention like that was entirely alien to Eugene. Adults never asked him things nicely; they accused him without question, actually. Eugene had always been a trouble maker, but with the Kings, they didn't see his faults. Which was really, really weird, since his faults were so blatant.

At least Max hadn't changed. That was nice.

Eugene, for some reason, had this strong desire to show Max up. He did some school work, not all of it, but enough to keep a C in his classes. It was irritating though, when Max would see his homework grades and smile smugly at him. Then, when they would get a test back, Eugene would shove his grade in Max's. It was usually higher than Max's.

Max really was a cocky ass. He acted like he knew everything, which he sort of did. Max excelled in all his classes, even P.E., which was surprising to Eugene, since Max was a beanpole. However, Eugene was just as good, if not better at sports than Max. When they played basketball, Eugene always got more baskets than him, since he could jump higher. It didn't matter if they were scoring for the same team, Eugene would gloat to Max.

Sports that entailed running, the two were pretty evenly matched. Max was on the track team and Eugene was an expert when it came to running. The first day the two were on the track together, they nearly collapsed from over execration from competing.

Max couldn't believe how fast Eugene was. It was like he was trying to race the wind or something. In the locker rooms after class, some of the other track members were trying to recruit Eugene to the team.

"I've never seen anyone run that fast!"

"With speed like that, we could cream all the other schools at meet-ups."

"You've got join, Eugene."

"Sorry, boys," Eugene said, closing his locker, "I don't do extracurricular activities."

"Why am I not surprised?" said Max, closing his own locker. "What's the matter Fitzherbert, too cool for school?" He walked up to Eugene, glaring at him.

"Oh, please, I don't put myself on that high of a pedestal. It's just I have more important things to do after school than play sports."

"Oh, like what? Running from cops because you broke into some place?" Eugene didn't say anything. He wasn't going to act out, not matter how much Max pissed him off. He didn't need extra guff on top of his issues with the Stabbington brothers. "We all know how you got here, Fitzherbert; you stole Nicolas King's car, and by some fluke, he decided to adopt you out of the goodness of his heart. You, a poor, wayward child who's had a tough life."

_Keep it together, Eugene. The bell will ring soon enough._

"Well, you're not the first person who has had a crappy start at life. There are plenty of other kids just like you, but they don't need to act like a delinquent to feel okay about themselves. Stop trying to fool yourself. You don't belong here. You don't belong anywhere and you know it."

Eugene gave Max a strong upper cut. Max returned it with a low punch to the gut.

The two got detention again.

After school, Eugene rocked back in his chair. He looked over at Max. He had an ice pack over his left cheek. Eugene rolled his eyes.

"How long are you going to keep that thing on your face?"

"Until my face stops hurting, ass-wipe."

Eugene had to smile; Max was using one of his terms of endearment. But Eugene got serious again.

"You know, you're only supposed to ice an injury for only twenty minutes out of every hour until the swelling goes down, otherwise the injury gets worse." Max gave Eugene a funny look. "I'm serious, man, I've had enough injuries to be an expert." Max was still dubious, but he put the pack down. He turned to Eugene.

"What do you have against everyone? Why do you always have to be an ass?"

"It's what I do best, and I don't change perfection."

"You make me sick."

"Trust me, the feeling's mutual." Eugene rocked back again in his chair. "So what's your lot in life?"

"What?" Max looked up at the other boy.

"What do you plan to be?"

"Like I'd tell you that."

"Just making small talk while the teach is out."

Max rolled his eyes. "Police officer."

"Really?" Eugene turned back around to Max, scrunching his face as he tried to picture the lanky kid in a uniform. "You know they don't make much."

"Says the guy who told me money isn't everything."

"If you worked your butt off to get into a prestigious school, at least leave heading towards a good job."

"Being a police officer isn't a good job?"

"Well, yes and no. Con wise, you get shot at, hit, ridiculed, die on the job, and overall aren't appreciated. I mean, why bother saving people when the majority don't appreciate you?"

Max gave Eugene an incredulous look. "You don't have any friends, do you?"

"What makes you figure that?" Eugene stopped rocking in his chair and put his head on the desk.

"You won't risk your neck for anyone. Who'd want to be friends with someone who won't have their back?"

"Mm, well, I suppose that's logical. You should be a detective."

"I plan to."

"Well hey, if you ever end up in the emergency room cause you pulled a bullet for somebody else, I'll be just outside the operating room doors for you."

"Oh, well that's a huge comfort."

"Nah, I'm serious. And I'll be right by your side as you recover."

"Oh, so I can see your ugly mug when I wake up."

"Exactly my point."

Max rolled his eyes.

The boys grew silent again.

"So what's your lot in life," Max asked, wondering if he'd really get an answer. Eugene didn't say anything at first.

"I don't think I'm headed anywhere, Max"

Before Max could ask Eugene to elaborate, the teacher came back and they had to be silent for the duration of the detention.

It was nearing five months of living with the Kings and it was starting to dawn on Eugene that this arrangement was going to be pretty permanent. He was nearly settled in, but he wasn't letting himself get comfortable. Eugene always approached every situation with caution; it was only a matter of time before he moved onto another house and another family.

One day, when Eugene didn't have school, Mrs. King had decided to take him shopping for clothes.

"You really need dress clothes, Eugene. We won't ask you to, but we do go to and hold many formal events and you might want to come to some." Eugene rolled his eye at the notion.

It was late afternoon and they were walking down the street of New Sonnenburg's city center. The two had already visited clothing stores and made several purchases. The clothes were left in the car and they were now headed to a restaurant for lunch.

"What do you feel like having, Eugene?"

"I don't know." Mrs. King had heard this same response to all of her questions for the last three hours. She tried to not let it bother her.

"Well, surely you must be in the mood for some kind of food. Aren't you hungry?"

"I suppose."

Mrs. King sighed. She was getting nowhere.

There were quick footsteps behind them. Someone shoved Eugene aside as that same person ripped Isabelle's purse from her shoulder. The man ran off down the sidewalk.

"Hey!" Mrs. King yelled feebly after him.

Eugene bolted after the guy. Mrs. King's heart stopped as she saw him speed away.

"Eugene! Stop, stop, come back!" She ran after him, but couldn't go very fast in her heels. She continued to yell after her adoptive son.

The purse snatcher ducked into an alley and Eugene followed. Mrs. King still yelled for him to come back. She was almost up to the alley when she heard a gunshot. The other pedestrians screamed and ran for cover. Isabelle instead ran straight for the sound. She turned the corner, expecting the worst.

Eugene had the guy in a head lock, his arm with the gun pointing straight up. Eugene pulled the gun form the guy's hand and wacked him across the face with it. He fell down, defeated. Eugene picked up the purse and walked over to Mrs. King, where she was trying to catch her breath. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute. Eugene held out his arm.

"Here you go-"

Mrs. King slapped Eugene right across the face. He stood there, dumbstruck. He looked at her, confused. Tears were forming on the edges of her eyes.

"You stupid, boy." She threw her arms around him, holding him close. "You stupid, stupid, boy," she repeated. "What if something happened to you?"

"But he stole your purse." For some reason, that didn't sound like such a valid point anymore.

"I don't care about the purse. I care about you. What do you think I would have done if something happened to you? You're more important than anything in that purse. I can replace everything in that, but I can't replace you." Isabelle pulled herself away. Her face was blotchy and her makeup had run. "I could never replace you, Eugene." She put a hand on his face. "I don't want to replace you." She hugged him again and Eugene had no idea what to say.

The police were called on the purse snatcher and he was arrested. After they answered all the questions they could, Isabelle and Eugene went home.

During the car ride, Eugene kept massaging his cheek. Not the one Mrs. King had hit; the would be snatcher had slugged him one on the cheek and another across his forehead. He'd been wearing a ring of some kind and a shallow gash had opened up on his head. At the apartment, Mrs. King applied hydrogen peroxide to it. Eugene winced.

"Sorry, I've never had to take care of a boo-boo before. Or should I say just injury in your case?"

"You can say whatever you want." Eugene didn't say this rudely. He actually had a lot on his mind. Mrs. King put a band aid over the cut and to make it complete, placed a kiss above it. Eugene didn't make a face.

Isabelle made dinner, a packaged pasta and set a plate in front of Eugene. He picked at his food.

"It's not that bad," she said, teasingly.

"It's not that, I'm just not hungry."

"I know what you mean. I don't think my heart has started up again." She set her fork down. "Do you know why Nic and I adopted you?"

"Publicity stunt?" Eugene paired the answer with a teasing grin. Mrs. King appreciated the lightheartedness.

"No." She paused. "We can't have children."

"I'm sorry," Eugene mumbled, and he really was.

Mrs. King shook her head. "It's nothing to be sorry about, really. It happens, but we did try everything. And I mean everything. There are more 'sure-fired' ways to conceive than you think there are. We finally considered adopting when you stole Nic's car. As soon as we learned that you were a foster child, well, it seemed like fate. That day, we had just decided to contact an adoption agency when you stole my husband's car. We weren't going to press charges to begin with, but as we signed the papers at the station, we talked briefly about fostering you, but Eugene, as soon as I saw your face, I just wanted to take you home." She placed a hand over Eugene's on the table. "It seemed right, like you were guided to us. We didn't think twice that you were a troublemaker. We were willing to see past that. Really, Eugene, you've been the best thing to happen to me, next to meeting Nic." Mrs. King smiled at Eugene and he couldn't help but smile back. It was the first time anyone had told him they wanted him.

Eugene needed to cut ties. His little heart to heart with Mrs. King had gotten him thinking. He couldn't stay on this path and expect everything to be okay. It just wasn't going to be the same stretch of life forever and he really didn't want to go down that path anymore. He needed to tell the Stabbington brothers that he was out. It was the only thing to do.

He found them late one night at one of their usual meeting spots. The two brothers were sitting on crates, smoking. Each had a beer bottle in the other hand. The younger brother now had an eye patch, to hide the fact that he no longer had an eyeball.

"Hey, boys. Oh, did I miss you. Hey, those sideburns are coming in nicely." They glared up at him. Eugene swallowed. He knew right then and there that he wasn't going to get out of this unscathed.

"You been holding out on us, eh, Eugene?" The older of the two brothers always spoke, never the younger. He threw down his cigarette and ground it out. He advanced towards Eugene. "Where you been? You keep telling us you got a plan, that you gotta a gig you gotta keep going slow and steady. Then you don't show for weeks."

"Hey, I get it. I've missed you too." Geez, when did these two get so big? Eugene wasn't going to let himself be backed up into a wall, and he meant that figuratively and physically. "I actually have been thinking about plans and stuff, but now it's become more of an idea, theory, really. Maybe a soul searching question, actually." Eugene tried to keep his breathing even as he licked his lips. "Why do we do the things we do? I mean, what's the point of it? All we do is vandalize and break stuff. Oh, and run from the cops. We can't forget about that one."

"What's your point," growled the older. Eugene gulped.

"My point is, why don't we just give up the whole delinquent thing. It's not getting us anywhere, right?"

"That's one hell of an idea, Eugene." The older grinned down at Eugene before he punched him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Eugene fell to his knees, throwing up and wheezing. "But to me, it sounds like you went and got weak." He grabbed Eugene's hair and pulled his head up. "You've gone and gotten soft, haven't you?"

"Please, I could still take you." The older brother cocked his head.

"Interesting." He slammed his fist against Eugene's cheek. He fell on the ground. He tasted blood. "But, I don't think you will."

The younger brother flipped out a switch blade and lightly flicked it across Eugene's arms. He stepped back from the knife, but the other brother grabbed him and held him tight.

"Come on, fight back. Why don't you show us that fire you got, that blind rage you're so proud of?"

"I don't need to show it. You know it exists."

"Remind us." The knife went deeper across Eugene's chest, shredding the front of his shirt. Eugene refrained from screaming. "Come on, Eugene, why don't you just tell us why you no longer want to deal with us? Clear the air and all that." The older brother threw him to the ground. A foot was placed over his back. The knife went deeper still. Eugene bit his tongue.

"You wanna know so badly, fine; I'm tired of dealing with you two. You're not worth my time."

Eugene was lifted up by the collar of his shirt and held in place by the younger brother. The older cracked his knuckles.

"See, that wasn't so hard. But I don't think we quite like what you had to say." He landed a solid blow to Eugene's stomach. He couldn't breathe again. They let him fall. Eugene crumpled to the ground, panting. He looked up at the two. He knew they would leave him soon.

"You two should really think about getting out of this business. It really leads nowhere," he gasped out.

"Are you still saying that?" The older brother brought his foot up and stomped on Eugene's outstretched arm. He felt the bone snap. This time, he did scream. "These are kiddy things you're telling us, Eugene, and we don't care. When you've gone and grown a set, come find us and we might just welcome you back with open arms." The two stalked away.

"You're the two that need to grow a set," Eugene said under his breath. Eugene waited a long time before he pushed himself up. Yep, his arm was broken and he could feel a black eye forming. He certainly couldn't hide this from the Kings. From his mom and dad.

When he got home, he took a breath before he opened the door. Isabelle and Nic were sitting on the couch watching a Nova, or something like it. Their heads turned when they heard the hinges of the door.

"My, God, Eugene, what happened?" Mrs. King rushed to him immediately.

"Oh, nothing much. I just got fired."

"Fired?" asked Mr. King. "What's that supposed to mean."

"Oh, this is just how people from gangs fire their members. I tried to quit, but they rather give me a pink slip instead." Eugene grinned at the two, wincing because of his face. "But I suppose right now I'm a little too messed up for a family portrait, eh?" The Kings blinked, looked at each other and smiled.

"Oh, you stupid, boy," Isabelle said, moving to kiss Eugene. "We love you."

_I think I'm going to love you too,_ thought Eugene.

"Could we by chance go to the hospital. I accidentally got my arm broken and I'd really like it if it could be set."

Eugene was out for an entire week and the next Monday, he found Max before first period. He was sitting at his desk, showing one of the other kids how to do the problems from the homework. Eugene walked up to the desk. Max looked up at him, blinked at his casted arm, black eye, and multiple band aids and bandages all over his arms. He frowned at him.

"What do you want?" he asked. Eugene breathed in sharply. He stuck out his hand.

"I'm Eugene Fitzherbert. It's nice to meet you, Max. I'd like it if we could be friends." Max looked from Eugene's hand to his face. He narrowed his eyes.

"What's your angle?"

"I don't have an angle. I just realized I need a friend who's willing to have my back and not stab it instead." His hand was still out. Max looked at it again, suspicious. "I'll have your back too." Max's eyes snapped to attention. This was not the same Eugene he'd been punched by months earlier. He sighed thoughtfully. He took Eugene's hand and shook it firmly. The two's expression at the other was a mutual one.

"No funny, business, Eugene. I got my eye on you."

"I expect you to." Eugene sat down in his desk and winced when his back hit the chair.

"Rough night," Max asked, already diving into 'friendship.'

"Nah, this happened a few days ago. They're only flesh wounds."

"Right." Without warning, Max punched Eugene's arm. He clutched it, holding in the urge to swear.

"What is wrong with you? Can you not see I'm injured?"

"Eh, just testing something." Max smiled at Eugene and he smiled back."

"I'm gonna get you back for that."

"I expect you to."

And the rest was history.


	19. Chapter 19

_I realized that I'd been running my whole life: running from, but I was also running to. Running to him._

Chapter 19 – Voice Messages of the Bad Luck

Eugene had his keys out before he was even at the door of the apartment. He was so done. Vlad's that night had left him absolutely exhausted, and it was late. It was almost four in the morning. Eugene didn't even know how he got himself home; he was pretty sure he fell asleep at the wheel.

He finally got up the stairs and unlocked the door. He opened and closed it quietly. Rapunzel was probably in bed, and she had to head into work early. He kicked his shoes off and hung his coat up. He heaved a breath, his shoulders dropping inches at his fatigue.

"Home at last," he said.

_CLANG!_

Stars splayed across Eugene's eyes. Something very solid had made contact with the back of his skull. He crumbled to the floor, his nose slamming against the hard wood. As he fell, Rapunzel's little figure came into focus. She squeaked and bolted back into the kitchen, her frying pan still in hand. She poked her head out, then realized she hit Eugene.

"Ah, Eugene!" She rushed to him. "I'msosorryIthoughtyouwereanintruder." Rapunzel was talking a mile a minute. She turned Eugene over and put him in her lap. His eyes fluttered between open and closed and he was making an effort to see straight. Rapunzel cradled his head. "IwasinthekitchenandIheardsomeoneouthereandIjustgr abbedthenearestweapon. I'm so sorry!"

Eugene opened his mouth to talk, but he spoke in a strained whisper. Rapunzel leaned in to hear.

"You broke my smolder." He went limp and unconscious in her lap. Rapunzel leapt for the nearest phone.

"He has a concussion, but if he stays overnight and doesn't fall asleep, he should be fine. You actually didn't hit him that hard, considering," said the doctor at the St. Augustine's Hospital. Right after Eugene had passed out, Rapunzel dialed 911. It was hard explaining to the dispatcher that she had accidentally hit her boyfriend over the head with a frying pan. The doctor himself was having a hard time not laughing. "This sort of situation actually isn't that uncommon; spouses or roommates coming home too late at night, and then getting injured for being a mistaken intruder. It happens quite often. He's just lucky you didn't have a gun." Rapunzel nodded her head.

"Can I see him?"

"Of course. Just leave the frying pan outside the room." The doctor chuckled as he walked away.

_Everyone is treating this like it's a joke_, Rapunzel thought angrily. Even Max and Pascal were.

Rapunzel had called the two for moral support and comfort, but now she wished they would go home. They were really rubbing the situation in her face.

"Now let me get this straight, you actually hit him with a frying pan? Like in a cartoon?" Pascal was grinning at her.

"Yes. It was dark, I was home alone and I saw a figure."

"Well, it is self-defense, so you won't be charged with battery, at least, maybe domestic violence," snickered Max.

"Come on, you two, I thought you were supposed to be friends."

"We are friends, friends who see the humor in all situations." Rapunzel rolled her eyes.

Eugene was in room 1129. Rapunzel and the other two found it quickly. Inside, Eugene was lying in the bed, his eyes closed and breathing slowly. For some reason, Rapunzel thought a hospital gown looked good on him. He could pull off anything, really.

Max tiptoed by her as Pascal put a hand over her mouth, a finger in front of his. Quietly, Max got up beside Eugene and leaned down to his ear. He let out a loud shriek. Eugene bolted up right, arms flaying. Then he saw Max.

"Fucking, son of a bitching balls, you goddamn psychopathic bastard! What is wrong with you?" He punched Max's arm repeatedly, but Max only laughed.

"Sorry, man, but the situation was just too perfect."

"Oh, yeah, cause giving a guy with a concussion a heart attack is always brilliant." Eugene leaned back on the pillow and rubbed his hands over his face. Pascal came up to him.

"Hey, Eugene," he said.

"What?" Eugene replied back, deadpan.

"Donut."

"Berliner." Eugene sounded so unenthused. He removed his hands from his face and sighed. He finally noticed Rapunzel.

"Hey," he said, smiling.

"Hey, yourself," she said back. Max stepped back and got a chair for her, so she could sit down by Eugene. "How's your head."

"Feels like I got hit over the head with a frying pan. Can't figure out why though."

"Eugene, you're joking, right?" He saw how blanched her face was.

"Yes," he said quickly. He took her hand. "I feel fine, really. I mean, as long as you left the frying pan at home, yeah I'm fine." Rapunzel looked like she was about to cry. "It was another joke, Blondie!"

"Eugene, are you making her cry?" asked Pascal accusingly.

"No, I'm not." Eugene crossed his arms. "You guys are being ridiculous. What are you even doing here?"

"Oh, we can't give our best friend get well flowers?" asked Max innocently.

"And where are those flowers?" Max and Pascal turned to each other.

"I gave you money, Max."

"I thought you wanted something to eat. Where else do you think I got ten dollars worth of vending machine snacks from?"

"You spent my money on snacks?"

"Oh, my God." Eugene put his hand over his eyes and groaned. "Will you two just leave."

"No way!" Max and Pascal said in unison.

"We can't trust you alone with Rapunzel," said Pascal. Rapunzel blushed almost instantly. She and Eugene shared a knowing glance. Pascal noticed. "Whu…." He narrowed his eyes at the two. "No…you….two. No!" Pascal looked like he was about to jump Eugene before Max gabbed him.

"Okay, Pascal and I are going to ask a nurse if we can have hospital Jell-O."

"No, we are not!" Pascal struggled in Max's arms. "I gave my blessing, not my consent! We are going to discuss this right now!" Max opened the door. Pascal latched his fingers on to the door frame. "I will not go quietly!" Max finally got him out the door.

Rapunzel put her head in her hands.

"Oh, my God, he is so embarrassing."

"Heh, yeah. How are you even friends with him? I've always wondered. I mean, you and him, polar opposites." Rapunzel peeked at him through her fingers. She ran her hands up her head and down the back of her neck. She sat up straight.

"You really want to hear the story?"

"Course, I love stories. And you do have to keep me up."

"Stories put people to sleep."

"I won't fall asleep. I promise. I'd rather not slip into a coma today." Rapunzel smiled and shook her head at Eugene's silliness.

"It was second grade," she started, "and it was recess. I had just transferred and I did not want to socialize with anyone. I was sitting under a tree, drawing, and Pascal runs up and says 'tag, you're it.' When I didn't follow, he pulled me to my feet and made me chase him. He's been my best friend ever since." Eugene smiled.

"That is an adorable BFF story. No, really it is. It's way better than how I met Max."

"I like how you met, Max. A more physical relationship is a good thing."

"What now?" Max had come back with Pascal, who, despite his displeasure from moments earlier, was now contently eating a cup of blue Jell-O. "I heard my name."

"Oh, just sharing best friend stories."

"Cool, cool. We got Jell-O." Max held up his cup.

"Stole 'em off a food cart, but we didn't get you any," Pascal said to Eugene, "cause I'm mad at you." Eugene threw his hands up. Rapunzel frowned at Pascal.

"Let it go, Pascal. Eugene and I are dating. It's natural." Pascal looked sincerely hurt, a hand going over his heart.

"Ouch, I just got bitch slapped by my best friend."

"Yes, you did. It happens." Rapunzel had found herself becoming more and more assertive since her relationship with Eugene became physical. She didn't feel powerful or anything, just confident. And it felt kind of good to give Pascal a little bit of guff. In a loving, friendly way.

"Alright, fine, I accept the new circumstances you two are in."

"Circumstances?"

"But answer me this; how many times have you guys done it?"

"Oh, Pascal!"

"Dude, man."

"Way stepped some boundaries there. You're as bad as Raven."

"Sorry, just seeing if you'd answer." He grinned as he spooned up more Jell-O. The friends had a moment of awkward silence.

"Five," said Rapunzel."

"Rapunzel!" Eugene shouted, shocked.

"Only five? You guys have been dating since what, March?"

"I am not hearing this right now," Max said as he put his hands over his ears.

"I've actually wanted to do it more, but she protests and Rapunzel, why would you tell him that," asked Eugene.

"Cause he was gonna ask me later and why did you say you wanted to do it more?" Her cheeks flushed red.

"It's true I was, and I appreciate your honesty with me, Eugene."

"And I can still hear this." Max removed his hands from his ears, seeing how futile it was.

Eugene put a hand over his face again.

"Ugh, you people, you tire me out. I just feel like I want to go to bed."

"You can't," said Max, "that might result in bad things."

"Yeah, I know, I gotta stay up for the next twenty-four hours." Eugene stretched his arms up. His back popped. "Ooh, that felt good."

"Hey, at least you've got us," said Pascal, setting his empty Jell-O cup and spoon aside.

"Oh, the joys of being me." Rapunzel put a hand over Eugene's.

"I'm sorry, Eugene. It's my fault you're in here."

"It's okay, Rapunzel. And it's my fault, actually. I should have called and said I was going to be late. But I do seem to end up in here a lot because of you." Eugene meant this jokingly, but the tears started in Rapunzel's eyes almost immediately. She threw her head down on his chest and started to bawl. Eugene was so shocked by her reaction that he didn't think to comfort her. Across the room, Max and Pascal gave Eugene the sign for shame. Eugene gave them the 'fuck you' sign. He finally figured out that he should at least pat her back.

"Rapunzel, it was a joke, a joke."

"But it's true-hooh-hooh-hooh." She sat up. Her face was so blotchy. "I cause you so-oh-oh much pa-a-ain. The day in the-the ra-a-ain, the S-s-s-tabb-bb-bbington brothers, and now this. It's all my fault," she hiccupped. Eugene took her face in his hands.

"That's not true, Rapunzel, and you know it." He grabbed a tissue from the bed side table and cleaned her face. He handed another one to her and she blew her nose and dabbed her eyes again. "Come here." He opened his arms and she leaned into him. "It's just a headache. In a few hours, I'll feel fine, okay?"

"Okay."

As Rapunzel allowed herself to be cuddled by Eugene, Max and Pascal shared a look. Both their faces said, 'aren't they cute?'

"So, Eugene," said Max, "why were you late coming home?" Eugene groaned.

"What?" asked everyone.

"I'd really rather not remember last night."

"Why? What happened?" He moaned again. He closed his eyes.

"There was a fight."

"At Vlad's?" That seemed almost impossible.

"There was a fight in a brony bar?" Max couldn't believe it. He'd seen some of the regulars and they had the kind of builds even Pascal could take down.

"Oh, don't scoff it off, Max." Eugene opened his eyes. "You've never seen serious bronies get into a fight before."

"Okay, well, what was the fight about?" Pascal was exceedingly curious.

"Alicorn Twilight Sparkle."

"Oh…." The other three people in the room knew exactly what Eugene was talking about.

"That episode was weeks ago," Pascal said.

"Doesn't matter. There are some people who's balls got lit because if it. But last night; this group was for it, this group wasn't. They got into a really heated argument saying all sorts of crap. Mainly, the group who wasn't too hot for the idea was doing most of the talking and all they kept saying was that story arch got thrown at the fandom, that there wasn't any lead up, blah, blah, blah. Well, it seemed like things weren't going to get too bad, I mean, they're bronies. What harm can bronies do?" The others nodded their heads in agreement. "And usually, Vlad is there to stop a fight before it starts, but last night was his sister's her husband's wedding anniversary, so he was watching his niece and he only came in when I called saying a fight broke out."

"Wait. You couldn't stop the fight," asked Max. "I find that hard to believe. I've seen you stop fights before."

"Oh, I did, and successfully, three times. I would have thrown them out, but Vlad's the only one who's got that power, being the owner and all that. Anyway, their nights boozing had made them all rather surly. And just as Vlad is coming in the door after I called him, a chair gets thrown and breaks, right on Vlad." Faces stretched in surprise. "I mean, Vlad can take a beating, but he sort of went ballistic when he saw his bar being destroyed." Eugene shivered at the memory. "Anyway, ten broken chairs, three busted tables and a lot of broken glass. Vlad's pressing charges against the guys. And that, was my long night."

"More like a rough night," said Pascal.

"You have no idea," Eugene groaned. "But, on a good note, I don't have to go into Vlad's for a few days while repairs are being made." He turned to Rapunzel. "We have some free evenings." Pascal narrowed his eyes at Eugene.

"And what do you plan to do with those evenings?"

"Watch PG-13 movies while not holding hands, Mr. Moore." Rapunzel laughed at Eugene's joke. He couldn't be too bad if he could tease Pascal.

The four friends did a pretty good job of keeping everyone up. Their conversations were just about everything: movies they'd seen, stories from work, new episodes of shows that had been on. It was a good opportunity for the four to catch up. It had been a few weeks since they could all hang out, just the four of them. With college being out, they missed out on a lot of social time, since that was when the four would meet.

Around eight in the morning, someone's phone started to ring.

"That's my phone," Eugene said, glancing around. "Where is it?"

"It's over here with your other things." Rapunzel got up and retrieved it from his stack of clothing. She handed it to him. "It's Mr. Hook." He hit the 'accept call' button. "Hello?"

"EUGENE ZACHARY PATRICK FITZERBERT, WHERE IN THE HELL ARE YOU!" Eugene jumped back from the phone, pulling it from his ear at the same time. He rubbed it, a look of pain across his face.

"Son of a fuck," he mumbled.

"It is eight twelve and your ass is not in my store. I've warned you about being late, boy! You better be on your way here or have a good explanation as to why you're not." Eugene glared at his phone. Everyone else exchanged glances, a little embarrassed they'd just heard Eugene get chewed out by Mr. Hook.

"As a matter of fact, I do have an exceedingly good explanation as to why I am not at work."

"Oh, yeah? What?"

"I'm in the hospital."

"Oh, God, Eugene, what did you do now?"

"I didn't do anything! I got home late last night and Rapunzel thought I was an intruder and hit me over the head with a frying pan." It was quiet on the other end, then:

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Did she really hit you? OH, HAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, that's too good. Oh, my side's gonna split. Eeheheheheh!" With soured distaste, Eugene hung up on Mr. Hook.

"I am not going to be able to live this down."

"I'm sorry," Rapunzel said, hiding a grin.

"Well, I'm glad I stayed long enough for that confrontation," Max said. "But it is now eight fifteen and I have to be in at the station at three o'clock today. I'd like some sleep."

"Yeah, go keep us safe."

"See you, Eugene."

"Bye, Max."

"Rapunzel, keep the frying pan in the kitchen." He winked at her and left.

"I gotta get going too," Pascal said, getting up. He gave Rapunzel a hug. "I would stay longer, Rapunzel, but like Max, I've got work at three too. And I have thirty kids I gotta watch. I think that requires more sleep than keeping the streets of New Sonnenburg safe. I'll be seeing you two." He walked over to the door. He turned around, pointing at Eugene. "And Eugene, keep it clean with her." He put two fingers to his eyes and turned them to Eugene. He slipped out the door, eyes still narrowed. Eugene shook his head.

"I do not get him." He looked at Rapunzel. Her head was down. "You've been quiet." Rapunzel flushed.

"I'm just so sorry about this whole situation."

"Rapunzel, it is fine. You hit me over the head with a frying pan. Whatever. I'm sure there are plenty of other girlfriends who have hit their boyfriends with worse things."

"Maybe." Rapunzel still stared at her lap. "So, before you passed out, you said, 'you broke my smolder.' What is a smolder?" Eugene grinned, scratching his head.

"Did I really say that?" Rapunzel nodded. "Oh, geez. Uh, a smolder, my smolder, is this." Eugene put his head down and then quickly brought it up. His eyes were scrunched, like he was staring at the sun and his lips flared out for a waiting smooch. His eye brows were turned up. Over all, he looked like he was pouting.

"And this is the smolder?"

"Yep." He held the face. Rapunzel slowly turned her head away from him, but kept her eyes locked with his. "You're not seduced, are you?"

"Nope."

"This is kind of an off day for me this doesn't normally happen." He released the expression. "Maybe I need to update my techniques. I do have a pretty special girl who's a one of a kind."

"Oh, Eugene."

"I only speak the truth." The two leaned in for a kiss, when suddenly, Rapunzel's phone started to ring in her purse. Eugene let out a little irritated breath as she dug it out, a frown on her face. She pulled it out and looked at the I.D. Her face blanched. "Oh, no."

"What?" Eugene shifted to try to look at her phone.

The phone continued to ring, but Rapunzel didn't answer it. It finally stopped and went to voice mail.

"Who was that," asked Eugene. She glanced up at him.

"My aunt," she said quietly. Eugene's eyes almost popped out of their sockets, before they went dark with anger.

"Why is she calling you?" Rapunzel grimaced. "Rapunzel?"

"It's better if you listen to a voice message." Rapunzel flipped her phone open. It beeped and booped as she scrolled through old messages. "Here we go." She clicked a button and Donna Gothel's voice filled the room.

"Rapunzel, it's me. Again. Please, call me or answer my e-mails or something. I need to know you're alright. I want to talk to you. I want you to come home. Please, Rapunzel." She picked another voice message to play. "Rapunzel, I realize you're probably avoiding me because of what I've done to you, but believe me when I tell you I need to know you're alright. I have to know. It's killing me." She played one more. "Rapunzel, I went to the art gallery sponsored by the Kings. I saw your art. It was lovely. I went there, hoping I'd see you, but I didn't. I saw a girl who had your face, but she had short brown hair. It couldn't have been you. Right? Please return my calls."

Rapunzel and Eugene were silent.

"Rapunzel, you know that's harassment."

"I know." She put the phone away.

"How many messages has she left?"

"In the last month, seventeen."

"Sev-seventeen? Rapunzel, why haven't you told me about this?" Eugene was a little angry that she kept this from him.

"I don't know. It seems rather harmless to me."

"Harmless? Rapunzel, she hit you!"

"She was high."

"You can't keep pulling excuses for her! That woman is dangerous and not of a sound mind. She could hurt you. Again." Rapunzel didn't say anything. Eugene sighed. "Look, I'm sorry I yelled, but I worry about you, because I love you." She looked up at him. He took her hand. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"I know, but I don' think anything bad could happen. She doesn't know where I live, so we're safe there. From all her messages, it seems all she wants to do is see me."

"Do you want to see her?"

"I don't know," Rapunzel said, exasperated. "She seems so sincere, but I can't trust her."

"And you shouldn't trust her. You can't, not after what she's done to you." Eugene ran a hand down her face. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "How about this," he said quietly, "I'll buy you a new phone, with a new number, and you can change your e-mail. She'll get the hint once she can't get a hold of you that you want nothing to do with her. Okay?"

"Okay." But Rapunzel wasn't sure it was okay. She felt she couldn't turn her back on her aunt, even after everything she's done to her. Donna was family.

It was one in the morning when Rapunzel and Eugene got home. It wasn't quite twenty-four hours, but the doctor said he wasn't showing any signs of complication. He was actually released around eleven thirty, but the two had driven around New Sonnenburg, looking for a place to eat. They settled on a Burger King.

When the couple got home, Eugene was ready for bed.

"Ugh, I have been up for almost forty eight hours. I am so tired." Eugene let out a big yawn. Rapunzel rubbed her hands on his back.

"Why don't you go to the room? I'll be in shortly."

"Kay." He turned around and pecked her cheek. He half wobbled into the room.

Rapunzel used the bathroom and brushed her teeth. When she walked into the bedroom, Eugene was face down on the bed, half hanging off, and only in his boxers.

"Eugene, you can't go to bed like that."

"Yes, I can," he mumbled.

"No, you can't." Rapunzel tugged at Eugene to get him up to the pillows. She turned him on his back and pulled the covers up. "Good night, Eugene. I'll give you a proper apology in the morning."

"Mm, sure." She kissed him good night and soon, Rapunzel was asleep herself.

And in the morning, Rapunzel did give Eugene a very good apology; breakfast in bed as well as something else that he found much more appetizing than a plate of chocolate chip pancakes, no matter how good they were. Rapunzel was just tastier.


	20. Chapter 20

_Body language and a vague suggestion can be the best way to come to a mutual agreement._

Chapter 20 – Lucky Moves

It was 6:34 p.m. and Rapunzel heard Eugene rummaging in the kitchen.

"Mm, he's home." Traffic must have been a bite; Eugene was usually home earlier than 6:30. Rapunzel left the spare room and went to meet Eugene, to welcome him home. But he looked like he was leaving again.

Eugene was fixing himself a quick cup of coffee. His messenger bag was sitting on the dining room table and it looked packed. Just as Rapunzel was entering the kitchen, Eugene was leaving it. They almost bumped.

"Oh, Rapunzel, hey." He side stepped quickly to avoid her. Rapunzel's gaze followed him.

"Going out?" she asked.

"Yeah, I meant to mention it earlier, but as you know, I woke up late. That usually doesn't happen."

"We were up pretty late last night, Eugene," Rapunzel said, blushing a bit.

"Eh-heh, yeah, we were." Eugene let his mind wander. "Ah, I gotta hurry up." He ducked back into the kitchen; his coffee was done. He poured it into a travel mug.

"Are you going to tell me where you're going?"

"Uh, my critique group." Eugene had his head in the fridge for creamer.

"Critique group? You don't have class anymore." Rapunzel leaned up against the wall and crossed her arms. Eugene walked out of the kitchen again.

"No, some of my classmates from this semester decided to make a critique group for the summer, since we don't stop writing over summer break. We've usually been having meetings on the weekend, but this week someone is going to Atlanta for the weekend, so it's today. I'm lucky I don't have to go Vlad's tonight."

"What about me?" Rapunzel looked up at Eugene, her eyes large and cute. Eugene finally paused to look at her. Rapunzel took the moment to tease him. She sauntered up to him, pouting out her lips as she put her arms around his neck. "I get lonely in the apartment, and it's scary not having a man here to protect me." Rapunzel pressed herself up against Eugene. Oh, she had him.

"Well, don't you know how to play me?" he growled at her playfully.

"Like a kazoo."

"Oh, I'm easy, am I?"

"Extremely." Rapunzel purred the word.

"Okay, pride hurt, no matter how true it is." He kissed Rapunzel. "I'll be back after ten. We can pick this up then."

"Alright, fine." Rapunzel released Eugene. "Go and become a famous and successful writer, while I'm left to hold the pieces of our relationship. Just don't forget me." Rapunzel was teasing, Eugene knew, but he took her hand.

"I'd never forget you, Rapunzel." The way he said it, Rapunzel tingled all the way down her spine. He kissed her again, then picked up his coffee and bag. "See you tonight, Blondie."

"I'll be here." Eugene passed by her and the smell of his coffee wafted up to Rapunzel's nose. She suddenly gagged, but held it in. Eugene didn't see her blanch. He opened the door and waved good-bye.

"Don't let me catch any of your boyfriends in here when I get back." Rapunzel smiled at him and waved. He closed the door. Rapunzel almost collapsed onto a chair as nausea came over her thick and heavy. Her stomach churned and her intestines cramped.

"Aw, man, dinner must not have agreed with me." Rapunzel pressed a hand over her stomach and kept one over her mouth. She felt like she was going to throw up. She sat down on the chair and placed her head on the cool wood of the table. She just needed to let it pass. It would pass. It was going to pass….it wasn't going to pass. Rapunzel bolted upright and made a b-line for the bathroom. She threw the seat up and clutched the sides as her dinner came out in a disgusting swirl of white, green, and red. She moaned as another wave hit her. That was the last time she was going to try a Lean Cuisine frozen dinner. She'd never buy them again, even if they were on sale. As she released again, Rapunzel heard the door open.

_Crap._

"I forgot my car keys." Eugene heard Rapunzel in the bathroom. "Rapunzel," he called concerned. He heard her up chuck again. "Rapunzel," he yelled, more desperately. He put his things down and hurried to the bathroom. He opened the door as Rapunzel threw up again. Eugene gagged himself. "Ah, uh. Rapunzel, are you alright?"

"I have my head in the toilet," she echoed up at him.

"Right. Ugh, ah." Eugene inhaled, trying hard not to see his girlfriend throw up. "Do you want me to hold your hair back?"

"Actually," Rapunzel sat back, "I feel better. No, I really do." She stood up and wiped her mouth on a towel. "Ugh, I need water." She left the bathroom and Eugene followed her, still concerned.

"Are you sure you're alright? You didn't sound alright. Maybe I should stay home."

"No, go to your meeting." Rapunzel filled a glass in the sink and swished some water in her mouth. She spat it out. "Really, I feel like I didn't even throw up. I'm fine." Eugene wasn't believing her. She frowned at him. "Go to your meeting or I will kiss you with a vomit mouth."

"Okay, okay, I'm going, I'm going." Eugene gathered up his stuff again. He grabbed his keys and pecked Rapunzel on the cheek. "If you feel sick, call me. I mean it."

"Yes, yes. I'll be fine. Go have fun at your meeting." Eugene waved again and left. Rapunzel sighed.

What on earth was that? All of a sudden, she felt sick and just as quickly, she didn't.

"Maybe I caught a bug." It was possible; she was in contact with a lot of people at work. Rapunzel shrugged it off and drank her water.

It was the third week of July and it was hot. Even with the A/C on in the apartment, Rapunzel still had fans going in the spare room. She had gotten home from work around 5:16 and had prepared a quick dinner for herself. That morning, Eugene had said he didn't need a dinner. Now she knew why. Rapunzel wandered back into the spare room, where she was working on a new cosplay for Pascal. This time he wanted to be Ciel from _Black Butler_. Apparently, a friend of his was going to be his Sebastian, whatever that meant. Rapunzel really didn't follow anime.

She continued with her sewing, holding the garment up every now and then to inspect the seams. It was coming together, but soon, Rapunzel got bored with sewing and she pulled out her art supplies. She went out to the dining/sitting area of the apartment, flipped open her laptop and played Owl City while she painted. And this is how Eugene found her when he got home.

"Hey, beautiful," he said, kissing her. "Still feeling okay?"

"Yeah. I feel perfectly fine." Rapunzel put her brush down, paused her music, and gave her boyfriend a welcome home kiss of his own. "I have no idea what that was, but it's all gone now."

"Well that's good, cause it means you're well enough for this." Eugene began to attack her neck with his mouth, hot and steamy, as he tried to steer her towards the bed room.

"Oh," she giggled, "did I get you all hot and bothered before your meeting."

"Terribly hot and bothered. I couldn't wait to get home to you."

"I couldn't wait for you to get home." The two passed the doorframe. Eugene was working to get Rapunzel out of her shirt.

"You've taken your pill today?"

Once, when Rapunzel wasn't ovulating, they'd tried sex without a condom, and Rapunzel found she liked it better raw. So, she decided to get on birth control.

"Crap! Yes, but I forgot to take my other medication." A few days ago, Rapunzel had been walking home from Sea Shell Paint with Raven, when she tripped over the curb and scrapped her knee up bad. It'd taken three days for the gash to stop bleeding and her doctor put her on antibiotics to stave off infection. It didn't hurt anymore, she could even bend her knee with little pain, but because of the size of the wound, her doctor wanted her to keep up with the medicine until it was fully healed.

"Alright, you go take your medicine, whilst I wait in the bedroom for you." He kissed her on the nose and went into the room. Rapunzel walked into the kitchen and picked up the orange bottle. She tipped it over and took one of the pills that fell into her hand. She put the extra back and filled a glass of water. She swallowed and went back to the bedroom. She found Eugene ready and waiting. He had laid himself out on the bed so that he was on his side, his head propped up by an arm. He wasn't wearing boxers, but his top leg came down to hide his family jewels. He looked at her lustfully, giving her the smolder.

"Seduced yet?"

"You know it," Rapunzel said, smiling as she closed the door out of habit, "I think that 'the smolder' has a better effect when you're naked.

"That's why I'm doing it, babe." Rapunzel laughed. Even when he was being intimate, her boyfriend could still be silly.

"Well, since you have not given me the pleasure of undressing you, you don't get to undress me."

"What? But that's not fair." Eugene sat up, his leg shifting to reveal his pride.

"Oh, yes, it is." Rapunzel undid the button of her jeans and shimmied out of it. She kicked them aside. Elegantly, she pulled her T-shirt off. That day was laundry day, so when the shirt came off, Rapunzel wasn't wearing a bra. Eugene whistled.

"I love it when you go commando."

"I know you do." Rapunzel pushed her panties off and walked out of them as she crossed the room to the bed. She stood over Eugene and kissed him, long and lovingly.

Eugene rolled on his back as Rapunzel sat down next to him.

"Hm, you look like you're going to tuck me in."

"Oh, I'm going to tuck something in." Rapunzel had her lips to his again. Still holding the kiss, she got on top of him. She rubbed her hands all over his chest, warming him up. His own hands came up and down her back. Eugene's arms went around her torso and he flipped the both of them over.

Eugene wasn't wasting any time. He was laying the foreplay on thick and fast. Rapunzel tried to push him back.

"You can slow down."

"Sorry, but this is what happens when you get me worked up so early in the night." Eugene attacked her neck, only staying long enough to make her want more. His tongue ran the length of her collar bone, while his fingers crept up her sides to massage her breasts. He was so impatient. Rapunzel tried to turn him over again, but Eugene was stronger than her. He wagged his finger at her.

"I'm not done yet." But he complied to be romantic with her and kissed her lips. This is what Rapunzel had been wanting. She wrapped her arms around him while he still kept one hand on her chest. His other hand sought a different place for his and her enjoyment.

Eugene's light fingers fooled around Rapunzel's thighs, on the inside of them. His fingertips brushed ever so slightly over her skin. She was becoming sensitive to his touch and she knew what was coming next.

Eugene's hand came down between her legs, hot and far too eager. He gently began to stroke her. She smiled through kisses, enjoying his touch. She held his face to hers, but Eugene pulled back.

"I'm just getting you ready." Eugene's face disappeared from her vision. She looked up and saw him descending between her legs. Rapunzel's mind only clicked to know the meaning behind his movements after she felt it.

_Ah! He's licking me _there_!_

Rapunzel squirmed with odd delight at the touch of Eugene's tongue. He put his hands on her legs and pulled them up to hang the off his shoulders. He then held her hips firmly as he continued his feasting onslaught.

Held down and too wrack with pleasure, Rapunzel turned from side to side, moaning. Eugene knew what he was doing, moving around all the important spots. Just when Rapunzel was really getting into it, Eugene stopped. He pulled her up into a sitting position and looked her square in the eye.

"Now, you can do whatever you like."

"Oh, you're allowing me to have my way with you."

"If you like." He kissed her. He fell back on the bed, leaving Rapunzel to sit on his mid section. She felt his member brush her back. It sent a tingle down her spine.

Rapunzel scrunched up her face at Eugene. He had left it obviously clear what he wanted her to do. She made eye contact with him. His brows went up in surprise.

"Blondie," he started, before Rapunzel cut him off.

"Hold me up." Rapunzel put her hands in Eugene's as she lifted her rear. She felt for him and tried to go down. However, she realized that no matter how hard a hard on was, she still needed something extra to get it in. Eugene helped her and soon, he was inside of her.

Rapunzel paused to let the new feeling subside.

_He hits me so much deeper in this position_, she thought to herself. When she did not move for several seconds, Eugene became concerned.

"Rapunzel?"

"I'm fine, just…feeling you." It was hard to explain the feeling. Eugene just acted like he got it.

Rapunzel was now in position, but in truth, she had no idea how to work the "straddle." She wasn't really sure she could hold out long using her legs to lift herself up and down. She glanced at Eugene for help. He understood her dilemma after a painfully awkward second or two. He tried to keep his smile to himself. He said nothing; only brushed a hand down her face to tell her it was alright. He then placed both of his large hands on her hips and picked her up. Rapunzel was a little shocked by the movement, but paid attention. Up and down, up and down. Use the knees to make the movement and the hips to control it all. Rapunzel tried to do it, but for some reason, she couldn't get it. She barely moved. Eugene took her wrists and flatted her hands against his chest.

"You have to support yourself," he said. Rapunzel blushed, but did as she was told, and was amazed by how well it worked.

She went slowly, and clumsily. She just couldn't get a rhythm down. Eugene made it seem so easy (of course, his genitalia was a great deal away from him, and that probably had something to do with it; he also had experience, Rapunzel reminded herself). She wanted to go slow, but that was hard to control. She was trying to focus on her positions, wanting to make them even, but she wanted to think about the excitement and waves of desire she was getting also.

_Is this what Eugene has to deal with every single time we make love?_ Rapunzel was starting to figure out why sometimes Eugene looked so intent on his movements.

With each new prickle of pleasure, Rapunzel was finding it harder and harder to think. All she knew was that she wanted the feelings to last. She just gave up on being slow, and quickened her hips. She still had no rhythm, but it felt so much better than the awkwardness of slow.

Rapunzel was starting to get hot, incredibly hot, but she was shaking all down her body. Her breathing was becoming shallow and sharp. Her trembles, which became violent with every second, kept building, but every single time it seemed like her release was near, the feeling would recede, and Rapunzel was left wanting. And there was another problem; Rapunzel was getting tired. It was a lot of work to be the one who moved. Now she knew why Eugene promptly fell asleep afterwards.

Eugene could hardly stand watching Rapunzel struggle with the movements. No matter how sexy she looked with her eyes squeezed shut, her mouth open in an 'o,' she was just having too hard of a time finding her pace.

Eugene brought his hands up to her back and kissing her, sat up and put her on her back. She looked at him surprised, and almost hurt. He kissed her again to tell her it was alright.

He was gentle and slow at first, but his speed soon picked up and Rapunzel realized how heightened her senses had become. She shuddered with her first orgasm. Blood pumped loudly in her ears and down her fingertips. Another roll came and resonated like thunder in her veins. She felt Eugene release himself and he panted over her. Rapunzel's chest was heaving too.

Eugene flopped down beside her. He wrapped both his arms and legs around her, and wouldn't let her wiggle out.

"You don't want to cuddle," he asked in a fake pouting voice.

"It's not that, but I'm hot."

"I know you are." Rapunzel tried to hide her grin at him with a frown. He only laughed. "You are absolutely adorable, you know that?"

"Why?"

"Because you try so hard and never give up." He snuggled her closer. "That's one of the many things I love about you."

"One of many? What are all the others?"

"Naming all of them would be like numbering the stars."

"That's a good book."

"Don't change the subject while we're talking about my most favorite topic in the world." He nuzzled her neck.

"Eugene," she giggled.

Rapunzel turned into Eugene's chest.

"I want to get better for you."

"It wasn't terrible, Rapunzel."

"But it wasn't fantastic," she said.

"You're new to this. You'll get it. No one is a Casanova or, whatever a female Casanova is, the first few times."

"Still, I want to make you feel like how I feel when you make love to me." Rapunzel could feel her face grow hot.

"Rapunzel, I get butterflies every single time I look at you. What's a better feeling than that?" He kissed the top of her head. "You're just that amazing."

Rapunzel let Eugene have the last word for the night, because it was a pretty good word. It was amazing.


	21. Chapter 21

_Just when you think that everything is fine and nothing could go wrong, everything does._

Chapter 21 – Unlucky Circumstances

The next day, Rapunzel had the afternoon shift at the art store. During a lull of customers, Rapunzel was doodling in her sketch book. She was drawing a sketch of a man with gentle eyes. At one point, her boss peeked over her shoulder at her paper.

"That looks like your boyfriend," he said. Rapunzel realized it did. She flushed.

"I didn't mean for that to happen."

"Oh, don't be embarrassed about it. Art is a reflection of the heart." Her boss smiled at her. Rapunzel grinned back.

It had been a long hour with no customers. Rapunzel stretched up her arms and took a deep breath. She got a whiff of her boss's late lunch burrito in his hand.

Her nausea from the night before came back, just as heavy as it had been at the scent of Eugene's coffee.

Rapunzel practically threw her sketch book away from herself as she ran for the restroom in the back. Her boss followed her, but stopped short when he heard her retching moments after slamming the door.

"Rapunzel," he called," are you alright in there?" It took awhile for her to answer.

"I don't know," she moaned. "I think I caught a bug. I probably-" there was a long, rather loud pause in her speech. "I probably shouldn't have come into work, but I was feeling fine-" another pause, not as long, but much louder than the last. "This morning."

"Do you want to go home?" Her boss heard the flush of the toilet and then water running from the faucet. He heard Rapunzel gargle some water. She opened the door.

"And just like that, I feel fine again. It is the weirdest thing. This happened last night too." Her boss put his hand to her forehead.

"You don't feel hot." He eyed her bandaged knee. "You're not reacting poorly to the medicine they gave you for that, are you?"

"I've been taking it for the last few weeks, so I think it would have bothered me long before now."

"Hm." Her boss looked up at the clock. "Well, it's been a slow day. Why don't you go home early?"

"Oh, no. Really, I feel fine now, and-"

"And I said go home. If you've been feeling sick, you really should be in bed, not out in public and running the risk of getting others ill."

"I guess you're right," Rapunzel mumbled. She gathered up her things and took the bus to the apartment. Unfortunately, Eugene was home, so Rapunzel had to explain why she was home early.

"You threw up again?"

Rapunzel flailed her arms trying, to think of a way to get out of saying yes.

"Yes," she said, defeated. "But really, I feel fine."

"Then why did your boss send you home."

"Slow day."

Eugene crossed his arms at her.

"Don't give me that look," Rapunzel said indignantly as she passed him to get a drink from the fridge.

"I'm going to give you this look. Rapunzel, you threw up last night. You're obviously not fine."

"But I feel fine."

"You still look green." Actually, Rapunzel had woken up with a greenish tinge to her face, but she wasn't going to tell Eugene that. "Rapunzel, why don't you go to the doctor, to know for sure? It could be something worse than an upset stomach. There are illnesses out there where the person feels fine, but wakes up dead the next day. That's how Jim Hensen went."

"_The Muppets_ guy?"

"Exactly."

Rapunzel was sick of listening to Eugene. She had to get him to drop it.

"Eugene, you're being silly. It's probably just a bug, it'll go away. My boss even said it might be me reacting poorly to the medicine they gave me for the scrape on my knee."

"Or it could be your birth control. Maybe antibiotics and birth control work funky together." Rapunzel rolled her eyes at him. He saw. As she turned away from him, he caught her wrist and turned her around to him. "Rapunzel, I'm serious, and this could be too. What if it's more than just a slight queasiness? I don't wan-"

Rapunzel planted a kiss on Eugene. She realized that was the best way to get him to stop nagging her. When she finally released him, he was glaring at her, but not unkindly.

"I know what you're trying to do, and it may work."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Rapunzel said innocently. She put her arms around Eugene's neck. "I'm just thanking you for caring about me, even when it's unnecessary."

"I wouldn't say it's entirely unnecessary, but you're welcome." He kissed the end of her nose, then gave her big bear hug. Still holding her tight, Eugene began to drag her to the bedroom.

"Eugene," she protested, "We just did it last night!"

"Oh, no, I'm forcing you to take a nap. I don't care what you say, sick people stay in bed."

"Fine, but only if you take a nap next to me."

"I don't have a problem with that." Eugene said, grinning more than he really should have.

It was Thursday, and Eugene was scrambling to get out the door. His alarm had not gone off when it should have. Rapunzel was in the kitchen, quickly making him a to-go breakfast and a lunch. She cooked an omelet in the microwave and slapped it down on two pieces of toasted bread with a slice of cheese and some deli cut ham. She wrapped it in a paper towel and quickly set about putting leftovers in smaller containers for him.

Eugene stepped into the kitchen, fixing the collar of his button shirt as he tried to start his pot of coffee.

"Eugene, you don't have time to make coffee."

"You don't deny a man coffee, Blondie."

As soon as the smell of brewing coffee hit Rapunzel nostrils, she ran for the bathroom, a hand over her mouth. Her stomach churned on the way and she almost didn't get to the bathroom in time. She slammed the door shut and collapsed in front of the toilet.

Eugene had to recover from being thrown aside, but he followed her and stood outside the door listening to Rapunzel heave up a nonexistent breakfast.

"Rapunzel, you are not allowed to tell me you're fine today," he said through the door, seriously concerned. Rapunzel didn't, or rather, couldn't answer him. When her body finally stopped working against her, Rapunzel answered him.

"I don't know what else to tell you; I'm not going to the doctor for something that's nothing." Eugene tried to not explode at Rapunzel as he heard her turn on the faucet to wash her hands and face.

"Rapunzel, this isn't a nothing!" She opened the door and brushed past him, returning to the kitchen to finish his lunch. Eugene followed her, still pleading his case. "Rapunzel, this is the third day in a row that you've thrown up. I really want you to go to the doctor."

"Eugene, I'm fine. I told you, it's probably some bug I caught." Eugene looked like he wasn't going to be moved from his point. He tapped his foot and crossed his arms, then promptly uncrossed them to poor his coffee into his usual travel mug.

Rapunzel sighed. "How about this; if I throw up tomorrow, I'll go to the doctor." Eugene drummed his fingers on the counter and thought. She could tell he didn't like the idea, but that was usually the case with compromises.

"Fine," he grumbled. He grabbed all his food and stuffed it into a lunch box and stomped over to the door. He turned around and set his things on the table. "I'm staying home today and so are you."

"Oh, Eugene, no, go to work. You already called Mr. Hook and told him you were coming in, and you're late enough as it is."

"I'll call him again and explain everything. He'll understand."

"No, go to work. You can't skip your day job and then go to your night job. You have that big party to serve for at Vlad's." Eugene chewed his lip. Rapunzel could see she was getting through to him. "If it will make you feel better, I'll stay home today, okay?"

"I guess it's fine if I know you're here." He didn't sound like it was fine.

"Oh, Eugene, don't start the day all upset and pissy." She put her arms around his neck. "You'll feel stupid when you learn that all this is nothing to worry about." She kissed him. "Now get going."

"Alright. I'm going." Eugene gathered up his things again and pecked her on the cheek. He was annoyed enough with her to punish her by not kissing her lips. Rapunzel shook her head at how ridiculous he was being.

Eugene gave one last concerned look at Rapunzel and left for work. Rapunzel crossed the apartment to the window to watch him leave. He pulled out onto the street in his blue Toyota and was down the road. Rapunzel sighed in relief that he was gone.

Something had been bothering Rapunzel. It wasn't the throwing up, but it was greatly related. The day before, when Eugene had forced her to take a nap, a thought struck her as she dozed off, like a horrible bolt of lightning. She did not want it to be true and she didn't even know the safest way to figure out if it was. Who could she talk to, call? Not Eugene, she didn't want Eugene to even know. None of the other boys either, or Mr. Hook or Vlad. The only person that came to mind was Raven, but could she be trusted?

Rapunzel found her purse in the bedroom and dug her new smartphone out. Just like he had said, Eugene had bought her a new cell with a new number. Rapunzel was so thankful to have her aunt finally stop calling her, but she didn't think that Eugene needed to have gotten a smartphone, but he said it would be cheaper on his plan. Rapunzel wasn't sure how she felt about being on the same cell plan as Eugene. It was almost like a marriage license.

Rapunzel scrolled through her contacts, all of which, except her aunt, had been transferred over from her old flip phone. She found Raven. Her thumb hovered over the send button.

During the summer, the school that Raven worked at had a summer daycare program. It was for parents who worked during the day, but didn't have the funds for a babysitter or daycare. Raven was one of the volunteer teachers for the job. Rapunzel debated about calling her. Would she even pick up at work? Could she trust her with her horrid suspicions? She could certainly try.

Taking a deep breath that almost made her light headed, Rapunzel hit send and listened to the rings. There were only two.

"Hey, Rapunzel. You usually don't call me. What's up?" Raven sounded so carefree on the other end. Rapunzel took another breath, but didn't say anything. "Rapunzel, you there?"

"Yeah. I'm here. Um, are you busy right now?"

"Well, it is 9: 23, the kids are at recess throwing dirt at each other- hold on a sec." Rapunzel heard Raven scold two children named Samantha and Chester. "Sorry about that. You gotta watch 'em like a hawk. What was your question? Oh, right, busy. I can't talk for long, but is there something you need?"

"Well, I have the day off today, and, well, I was wondering if you'd come over today. After work."

"Sure. Is it because Eugene is working late at Vlad's tonight? And you don't want to be lonely?"

"Yeah. There's a party at Vlad's tonight and Eugene has to head over as soon as he gets done at Mr. Hook's." As an afterthought. "And I will be lonely."

"Well, we can hang out. I don't have any lesson plans or anything, so you will have my undivided attention."

"Good. I'll need it." Rapunzel paused. "And, before you come over, can you get me something? I'll pay you back." Raven was silent. She finally noticed Rapunzel's uneven tone.

"Sure," Raven said cautiously. "What?"

Rapunzel inhaled and shut her eyes.

"A pregnancy test."

Raven was dead silent.

"Sure, sweetie. And I know this drill; not a word to anyone." Rapunzel almost felt like crying, and Raven could hear it when she next spoke.

"I'm sorry, Raven. It's just… I don't know." The tears started down her face and Rapunzel wiped them away. "I've been a little sick lately and…and I'd be too embarrassed and it's not as weird if a married woman –"

"Rapunzel! Calm down. I get it, okay? I'll be over around four. Just, just don't over think this until you know for sure, okay? Promise me."

"I promise."

"Alright. I really gotta go. Samantha just shoved dirt down Marcus' pants. Put in a movie, relax, make a BLT. We'll take care of this." Rapunzel nodded, even though Raven couldn't see her. "I'll see you this afternoon."

"Right. Bye. And thanks."

"Don't mention it. I know I won't." Rapunzel forced a chuckle at Raven's attempt to be lighthearted. The two hung up. Rapunzel stared at the phone. She felt like throwing it across the room, but Eugene had just bought it for her. Rapunzel had no idea what to do.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck." She collapsed onto the couch and pulled a pillow up to her stomach. She moved it over her face and screamed into it. This could not be happening, it just couldn't. She did not want to be pregnant.

_At least it's Eugene's._

Rapunzel told her inner optimism to shut the fuck up.

_But you don't know for sure if you are pregnant_, it said back.

Rapunzel sighed, the pillow still on her face. She stayed like that for awhile, until she had hunger pangs and the urge to use the restroom.

Just like she had said, Raven was over around four and she had the pregnancy test.

"Okay, so the directions just say you pee on this end and in five minutes it tells you if you're prego or not."

"Raven, do you have to say prego?" Rapunzel moaned.

"Do you want me to say pregnant?"

"No."

"With child?"

"That's even worse."

"Well, just go pee on this thing and you'll know for sure." Raven handed her the test. Rapunzel took it and ducked into the bathroom. She came back out a few minutes later. She put a cap on the used end and set it on the table. For the next five minutes, she and Raven stared at it, like it was the enemy of all humankind.

Something flicked across the little screen. Rapunzel scrambled for the test. She turned away from Raven, her shoulders hunched.

"Fuck," she muttered. "FUCK!" Rapunzel threw the test across the room and fell face down on the couch. Raven retrieved the pregnancy test. It was positive. She had a pang for Rapunzel, feeling the same pain that was flooding through Rapunzel.

Raven walked over to Rapunzel on the couch, where she was loudly crying. She got down on her knees and rubbed Rapunzel's back.

"Sweetie, I'm not going to say anything right now, because I know you won't want to hear it."

"No," Rapunzel mumbled. She turned her head to look at Raven. "Talk to me. What do I do?" Raven stared at her.

"Well, that's an easy one; tell Eugene."

"No! I don't want to! I can't." Rapunzel sat up. She wiped her tears away. Raven sat beside her.

"Well, you could not, but he'll notice eventually. In about three months."

"Fuck it, Raven!" Rapunzel pulled her knees up to her chest. Raven looked at her thoughtfully.

"This is the first time I've heard you cuss."

"I think I have a pretty damn good reason to cuss." Rapunzel's voice was shrieky. Raven rubbed her ear.

"Oh, yes, yes, you do. I'm not arguing that point." Raven paused. "Rapunzel, how did this happen?"

"You're married. I think you know how sex works." Raven blinked at Rapunzel; she was surprised by how snippy she was being. She said her next thought carefully.

"No, I mean, you told me you were taking birth control. You didn't miss any days did you, cause that screws things up."

"No, I never missed a day. I have no idea how I'm pregnant." God, she said it. It was out in the air now. It was set in stone. She was pregnant.

Raven stared at Rapunzel's bandaged knee, from when she scraped it on the sidewalk. She clicked her tongue in thought.

"Rapunzel, didn't the doctor give you something for your gash?"

"For my knee? Yeah. Why?"

"What?"

"Just antibiotics."

Raven breathed out through her teeth.

"There's your problem."

"What?" Rapunzel turned her body to Raven. Raven took her hands.

"Rapunzel, antibiotics nullify the effects of birth control. They don't work while taking antibiotics."

"WHAT?" Rapunzel stood and angrily paced the floor. "Why was I not told?"

"Well, there's a disclaimer on birth control packages that tells you to talk with your doctor about medications that make the pill stop working. Medicine companies must think it's your responsibility to do the research. But seriously, your doctor should have seen you were on birth control when they prescribed you the antibiotics."

"Fuck!" Rapunzel sat herself back down on the couch.

"Hey, don't freak out. You can deal with this. You're strong." Rapunzel glared at Raven.

"Raven, I am a nineteen year old girl who is now pregnant. In nine months, I am going to be a mother. How am I supposed to deal with this?"

"I told you, talk to Eugene. He needs to know."

"He'll freak out!"

"You don't know that." Raven put her hands up to brush the concern away.

"Uh, he's my boyfriend, I think I do."

"He might be your boyfriend, but I have known him longer than you have." Rapunzel felt like she'd just been slapped. That comment hurt. Even if it was true. "Eugene might freak at first, but once the initial shock wears off, I can guarantee you that he is going to be ecstatic. He's just that kind of a guy."

"That's what I'm worried about. He'll want to do the 'right thing.'"

"And you don't want to do the 'right thing' with him?" It was a serious question and Rapunzel didn't have an answer.

"I don't know, Raven. I don't know. Yesterday I was just a girl who was living a happy life with her boyfriend. Today, I'm a soon to be mom and I've saddled said boyfriend with a kid for the next eighteen years."

"Eugene won't feel 'saddled' and you know it," Raven snapped at Rapunzel. "Whatever his first reaction is, he will not hate you; if anything, he'll love you even more than he does now and he'll love the child you two made."

Rapunzel was silent for a long time as she thought.

"I just… I just feel like I've cheated him out of…freedom." Raven put her arms around Rapunzel.

"Rapunzel, at this point, only you and Eugene can work this out. If he does freak out and do what I know he won't do, you can always come live with Jeff and me." Rapunzel held onto Raven's hand at her shoulder.

"Thanks, but you're right; he won't hate me."

"I'm always right. Now, promise me you will tell him. The moment he gets home, tell him."

"I think I might make him dinner first and tell him to sit down."

"That might be a good idea." Raven squeezed Rapunzel. "I don't want you to feel I'm abandoning you, honey, but I've got to get home. I didn't tell Jeff that I was coming over here and I forgot we had a dinner planned tonight. Plus, I fed him a lie about grocery shopping and I better show up with groceries." Raven kissed Rapunzel's cheek. She stood up. Rapunzel followed her to the door.

"Don't get too stressed about this, sweetie. In the end, everything will be alright, because you have Eugene and he has you. You two couldn't ask for more."

"Thanks, Raven." The friends hugged each other good-bye and Rapunzel closed the door. She wandered back over to the couch and waited for Eugene to get home.

It was a little after two in the morning when Eugene opened the door. He saw Rapunzel sitting at the dining table with a sandwich set aside for him.

"What, no frying pan?"

"No." In that one small, short word, Eugene heard a tremble in Rapunzel's voice. He put his things down and sat down at the table with her.

"Rapunzel? Is everything alright?"

"Take a bit of your sandwich first." Eugene looked from the sandwich to Rapunzel. He did what she asked him to do, and even swallowed.

"Is everything alright?" he asked her again.

"No," she said, shaking her head. She took a breath. "I know what's wrong with me, why I've been throwing up." Eugene looked at her expectantly taking her hand. She swallowed and looked squarely at him, having a sharp intake of breath first to calm her. "I'm pregnant."

The blood drained from Eugene's face as it slowly sagged into horrified shock. His eyes grew to the size of half dollars. His mouth opened, like he was going to scream. Rapunzel put her hands up.

"Please don't freak out!"

There was a pause between the two as she begged him to not scream with her pleading eyes.

"IIIIIIIIIII'm not freaking out. Are you freaking out? I'm just wondering how this could have happened. How long have you been pregnant exactly?" Eugene was trying very hard to not completely freak. His voice was up many octaves and he rocked in his seat. His hands were firmly under his arms, as if this would hold him together.

"Uh… a week, maybe. I don't really know." Rapunzel trailed off. She glanced at Eugene; he was chewing a fingernail, his eyes still wide and deep in thought. He was holding his faux fetal position and staring at the floor, but Rapunzel knew he wasn't seeing anything.

"How could this have happened?" He looked up at her, as if he was seeing her for the first time. "You got on birth control."

"Yeah, I was also on antibiotics, and turns out, antibiotics nullify birth control pills. For some reason doctors don't tell you that."

"Wha… son of a bitch," Eugene breathed out. Rapunzel tried to stay calm for Eugene's sake; he was getting terribly upset. "You'd think," he continued, "that doctors would mention something like that. There's a reason why people get on birth control." Eugene was talking to himself. He rubbed a hand over his mouth, his breathing forced. He was thinking intently. "Pregnant…" He looked back at Rapunzel. "What do you want to do?"

Rapunzel was shocked. She did not know the answer to that. She wanted to know what Eugene wanted to do.

"What do you want to do?" she asked slowly.

"Why are you asking me that? It's your body."

"Well, you put this in my body! You're part of this decision too!"

"Well, yeah, I know that, but you're the one who's going to gain thirty pounds or more, get stretch marks, and be miserable for the next nine months. Not to mention push the watermelon out."

"Oh, God, Eugene." Rapunzel pushed herself away from the table and began to pace the floor.

"What? The birth might have to be caesarian."

"Shut up!" Rapunzel shouted, pressing her palms over her eyes. Eugene shut his mouth. Rapunzel continued to pace. "Fuck," she said.

"Yeah," Eugene agreed. "Fuck."

"Seriously, Eugene, what are we going to do?" She sat back down. Eugene smiled softly at her. He took her hand in his.

"I'll say it again; what do you want to do?" She frowned at him.

"It's your kid too. I can't be selfish and say I don't want the baby because it's yours too."

"Do you not want the baby?" There was a slight hint of alarm in Eugene's voice. It made Rapunzel a little distressed.

"God, I don't know, Eugene." Rapunzel was close to tears. She folded her arms on the table and rested her head on them. "Half of this child is you. I could never kill that."

"Well, I don't want you to have an abortion," Eugene said. Rapunzel heard his chair scrape against the floor. She looked up and saw him kneeling on the floor in front of her. "You know, I'm okay with this. Yeah, sure, I might not have planned on it, at least not yet, but I can be fine with this, if you are. I'm not going to abandon you or this kid."

Rapunzel felt butterflies in her stomach. She pulled herself back to reality.

"You're fine with being a dad?" she asked him.

"Well, geez, when you put it that way, I sort of want to rethink my decision." He grinned at her and Rapunzel smiled feebly. Leave it to Eugene to get her to smile.

"Eugene, what sort of parents would we make?" She paused. "What sort of mom would I make?"

"A great mom." Eugene stood and pulled Rapunzel up into a hug. "You will be a great mom."

"No, Eugene." She pushed away from Eugene and started to walk the floor again. "My mother died when I was seven. And my aunt was not the ideal maternal figure. I have no model to go off of."

"Sure you do." Eugene caught her in her walking and pulled her into his arms. "You know to not be like your aunt. That's got to count for something." Rapunzel sighed into his chest.

"How are you okay with this?" She looked up at him. "I mean, I'm pregnant and you're not, throwing a tantrum at all." She sighed. "The way you let things roll off of you, there's got to be a limit to that, Eugene." Eugene smiled down at her and kissed her forehead.

"I don't think throwing a tantrum is the best option at this point, especially if we'll be dealing with them soon enough. But, yeah, you're pregnant. It's not the best thing that could have happened to us right now in our lives, but it's a new life and I'm not going to get mad about that. Especially when that life is my child's. Shit happens, Rapunzel. But not all of it is bad." His hand went to her belly. "Sometimes it can be used as fertilizer."

"Oh, geez, Eugene." She pushed herself away again, laughing. "I wonder about you." He only shrugged. She let out a long exasperated breath.

"And I'm okay with this, because it's with you." He put a hand over her stomach again. "I mean, there is a little life in there and you and I created it. That's amazing. Don't you think?"

"I guess." Rapunzel pulled away from Eugene. She crossed her arms. "I don't want to have an abortion either." She put her hands on her hips. "I've always wanted a family, so I'm not giving this kid up." A hand came up to her stomach. "I'm not ready to be a mom, but I guess if you're willing to be a dad, we can…give it a shot. I mean, what's the worst we could do; cause years of therapy?" Eugene's shoulders jumped as he laughed at Rapunzel's joke. He came up and put his arms around her, kissing her too. "I still don't really know what to do though."

"Well, I think we can start by going to the doctor. I mean, we do need to know what we're doing." Rapunzel smiled.

"I suppose you're right."

"Hm, it's just so weird."

"What?" Rapunzel looked at him

"We've been doing it with a kid in there." Rapunzel frowned at him.

"Eugene, the fetus doesn't even have a brain yet. I highly doubt we've left any emotional scars."

"No, no, I know that, but there's been a third party. We've been having threesomes." Rapunzel could not hold back from laughing. She punched his arm.

"Eugene!"

"What? I got you to laugh, didn't I?" Rapunzel sighed and shook her head. Leave it to her boyfriend, Eugene Fitzherbert to make light of any serious scenario.


	22. Chapter 22

_I've always been responsible, but responsible for another life? That's something else entirely._

Chapter 22 –Past the Moon and Over the Lucky Stars

"Well, Miss Moore, you are definitely pregnant." Rapunzel's heart sank. And she was pretty sure it stopped too. Eugene squeezed her hand, but the pressure didn't register to her. When she got no response, the doctor continued. "Now, you already told me that Mr. Fitzherbert is the father. Are you two considering aborting or adoption?"

"We're keeping it." Eugene's words almost slapped the doctor with how stern they were. She let it fall off her.

"Well, that's what I always like to hear." She put her hands in her lab coat pockets. "Miss Moore, you are healthy enough to have this child, but I'm going to outline a specific diet for you. Also, you're going to need to start taking certain vitamins and such. And no caffeine. No coffee, tea. No alcohol."

"Rapunzel's nineteen."

"Alright, well, you also won't be able to take any kind of medication unless you specifically talk with me about it." Rapunzel wasn't listening. Thankfully, Eugene was. "This basically means no cold medicine, so if you get sick, you'll just have to struggle through it." The doctor paused. "Rapunzel, I need you to listen to me when I tell you this." Eugene nudged her and she looked up. "It is very important that you do not put yourself in any stressful situations. I looked at your medical records and noted some of the medication you've taken. Anti-depressants, anxiety pills, pills to counter hyper-tension." Rapunzel felt Eugene look sideways at her. She stayed focused on the doctor. "I know you are not on this medicine anymore, but that factors in; you have a history of being extremely stressed. And stress is not healthy during a pregnancy. It can actually cause miscarriages in some cases." Again, Eugene squeezed her hand.

"Now," continued the doctor, "to know how many weeks the fetus is, we'll need to have an ultrasound. So, if you two will wait here, I will go get everything ready." The doctor left.

Eugene looked at Rapunzel.

"You already know my life was miserable before I met you," she told him, not meeting is eyes.

"Yeah, I know, but now I'm worried. Do you still get stressed like that?" Rapunzel broke her gaze at the floor to meet his eyes.

"Not generally anymore. I mean, I over think things and let stuff that may not even happen bother me, but I've been doing better since I met you." This time, it was Rapunzel that squeezed Eugene's hand. "You've been the best anti-depressant medicine I've ever had." Eugene smiled.

"That's quite a compliment, coming from you." Rapunzel smiled at him, then breathed out, exasperated. She pulled her hands from Eugene's and put her head in them.

"What are we going to do, Eugene? I know we said we were going to do this, be parents, but what are we going to do?"

"Well, go see the ultrasound-"

"No!" Her head came up and she tried to not be irritated with him. "I mean… everything! The next eighteen years, actually raising another life. And how are we going to tell everybody?" Now Rapunzel looked at Eugene, defeated. "I don't have any family to tell and be turned out by, but what are your parents going to say?" Eugene did not reply. He almost looked like this notion was the first he'd ever thought of it. "And Mr. Hook and Vlad and…oh, god, Max and Pascal. Oh, I don't want to tell them!" Rapunzel's head went back into her lap. She felt Eugene's hand on her arm.

"You don't have to tell anyone; I can do all the talking. I'm really good at talking. I'll tell my parents. I don't know how, but they'll not kill me at least. I think." His hands found hers again. "I mean, I don't really think we're in too bad of position, Rapunzel. I have money in savings and a trust fund, so I think we can afford eighteen years."

"That's not what I mean, Eugene. How do we handle all this? How are you handling this? A kid, you, me. We're not even out of college yet. I won't even be twenty when this kid is born."

"Rapunzel, everything will be fine. We'll do this one step at a time and-"

"Just stop." Rapunzel pulled her hands from Eugene's again and let them fall in her lap. "Stop not letting all this bother you. I… I can't take it."

"I'm sorry, Rapunzel. I'm just trying to stay positive and take all this in stride."

"Well, why can't you look at the future?" Eugene waited a long time to answer.

"Because the future terrifies me." He smiled weakly at her. "I can only take this one step at a time, because if I go any further, I think I'm walking off a cliff." Eugene wrapped his arms around Rapunzel. His head rested in hers. "You said you over think things; I do too. Rapunzel, I'm terrified that something bad is going to happen during this that's going to put you or the baby in danger, maybe both of you."

Rapunzel couldn't think. It was like a circuit had been cut in her brain and she was taking longer to process Eugene's word.

"Eugene, the doctor said I'm healthy," she said, muffled against his chest. She heard his heart beat and was sure she could hear his worry too. Now it was Rapunzel's turn to comfort Eugene. She put her hands on his back.

"But stuff can happen. Complications. And then, you're worried about being a good mother; what kind of father am I going to make?" Eugene's voice cracked. "My dad was a drunk, and he beat me. I never want to be like that, but what if it happens?"

"Eugene, you could never be like that." _I wouldn't let you_, she thought. She suddenly became very aware of the life between the two of them.

"No, probably not," he said thoughtfully. "But Rapunzel, what is our child going to think of me when they learn that Dad got into fights, broke into places, stole stuff. Are they going to be disgusted with me or are they going to do the same thing?" Eugene's confession came out fast and strained. His voice quivered with his fears, that weren't necessarily unfounded. Rapunzel had no idea that Eugene felt this way, could feel this way. She pushed on him and slipped her hands up to his face. She noticed that his eyes were glossy with almost tears.

"Eugene…." She could not think of anything to say to comfort him. Their fears were similar; Rapunzel could not attempt to brush his away without dismissing hers as well. She sighed, finally having something that sound adequate. "When it comes down to it, I think I'd rather be scared with you, than with somebody else."

"Really?" She nodded. "That somehow is very comforting." Eugene leaned in and kissed Rapunzel.

"We're both scared," she told him. "But we can't let that get to us, can we?"

"No, we can't." Eugene agreed. He put a hand over her midsection. "Cause Mommy and Daddy aren't scared of anything. Are we?" he asked her tummy.

The door to the examination room opened and the doctor stepped in.

"Everything is ready, if you'll follow me."

Eugene helped Rapunzel down off the table and they followed the doctor hand in hand down the hall. Rapunzel tried to ignore how badly her knees were shaking, but it was hard. She was thankful she was wearing long pants, however; Eugene couldn't see them knocking together.

They reached the room where the sonogram machine was and the doctor held the door open for them. She told Rapunzel sit and lie back on the examination table. She also asked her to pull her shirt up so she could put the lubricant on. It was cold when it hit Rapunzel's skin. The doctor took the little scope like thing and pressed it gently to her stomach.

"It might take awhile to find the little guy, but the fetus is definitely in there." The three occupants of the room watched the screen as the fuzzy image flickered with each movement. The whole time, Eugene was still holding Rapunzel's had.

"Ah, I just saw the fetus, hold on…there, right there." The doctor pointed to the screen. There was a very small round object. "Hm, I would say that the fetus is at most two to three weeks." Rapunzel's mind went back that far, to figure out point of conceiving. There were three possibilities.

Eugene, on the other hand, had no coherent thought.

"Oh, my god, will you look at that. Rapunzel, that's our child." Eugene sounded like a child himself, oohing and ahhing at the gritty black and white picture. "It's so small, but that's ours. We made that, Rapunzel."

Rapunzel did feel wonderment at the sight of her unborn child, but the fear inside her was still very much on the surface. She simply could not shake it.

Eugene squeezed her hand.

"Rapunzel, can you believe that little thing is ours? In nine months we're going to be parents." Eugene was repeating himself, still oohing and ahhing.

Nine months, Rapunzel was going to be giving birth. Nine months, she would be in labor, agonizing, maybe multiple hour pain. It was really early, but she considered opting for pain medication. That sounded better than contraction pain. But despite her fears, Rapunzel felt she couldn't wait the nine months to meets her and Eugene's child. Then again, maybe she could. She had been in one of those health classes that show a birth and though she had her eyes closed most of the time, she did recall a lot of screaming.


	23. Chapter 23

_It took me a really long time, but after awhile, I got used to the idea of being a mom. Eugene helped that mostly._

Chapter 23 – Well Wishes of Love and Luck

If anyone walked by the doors of Vlad's on a hot July night looking for a cool drink, they would find a sign:

_Closed for personal party. Come back tomorrow._

And the person would just have to move on to another watering hole.

Inside, there really was a personal party in full swing. Unbeknownst to both Eugene and Rapunzel, once they had given the news of their baby, the friends of the soon to be parents plotted to throw a congratulatory party. It was mostly Raven's idea.

"We just wanted you to know, sweetie, and Eugene," she said as an afterthought, "that we are all here for you and that we love you."

"Yeah, what she said," Vlad called over from the bar where he was fixing Nic a drink.

"Yeah, we'll all be there for the kid," Mr. Hook said as he roughed up Eugene's hair, as if he were a child, "but I had better not have to clean up any messes like yours, you little punk.

"Oh, no," Eugene said as he fixed his hair, "this kid ain't even gonna think about some of the shit that I did. I'll scare it out of them early."

"Oh, dear, he's already plotting parental guidance," Isabelle said to Nic. "But just think, darling, a new little baby, and we're the grandparents!" Isabelle almost squealed with joy. She was probably the most excited person in the room. Rapunzel on the other hand didn't seem thrilled about anything.

She sat at a table, in the middle of everyone, with Eugene's arm around her. Rapunzel kept spacing in and out; she was having a horrible time staying focused on the words of any one person. In her head, she was still trying to get used to the idea of being a mother. The only thing that would bring her out of her thoughts was Eugene squeezing her shoulder. She looked up and saw that Pascal was wagging a finger at Eugene.

"I suppose I can be happy for the two of you," he was saying, "but I believe I told you to keep it clean with her," Pascal sneered at Eugene. Eugene only rolled his eyes back.

"Ah, don't give him such a hard time, Pascal," Max said, coming to his friend's aid. "Stuff happens."

"I suppose you're right. I shouldn't be so cross with the father of my future godchild."

"I beg your pardon," said Max with indignation. "I am clearly the better candidate to be an alternative guardian in the event of Rapunzel and Eugene's inability to care for their child."

"You mean if they die."

"I sugar coated it. Besides, I'm far more responsible than you, and I'm Eugene's best friend."

"Well, I'm Rapunzel's best friend and I've known her longer than you have Eugene. We're almost like siblings. And I work with kids. I have experience in child rearing."

"Oh, please you two," Raven said, stepping between the two of them, "no one in their right mind would give their child to you-"

"I work at a day care center."

"I'm a police officer."

"People trust us with kids," they both said together.

"Well, fine, but you're both single, have low income and live in apartments, and Pascal, you still live at home. Now, Jeff and myself, we have a house, Jeff makes a lot of money, and we have a stable relationship."

"But you're going to have kids of your own, and-"

"Guys!" Eugene finally butted in, only because Rapunzel was glaring at him to do something. "We don't even have a name a yet, and if anyone is going to be raising our kid, it would be my mom and dad." He pointed to them standing by the bar.

"Oh, well, I guess that does make sense."

"That would be my first choice."

"Children always do better when their raised by family."

Eugene sighed and sat back down. Rapunzel patted his arm.

"I think everyone is more excited about this baby then we are," she said jokingly.

"She speaks," said Jeff. "You've been pretty quite this whole time."

Rapunzel shrugged.

"I'm just thinking."

"She's been doing a lot of that lately," Eugene told everyone, rubbing her back.

"Well, she has a lot to think about," Raven said, sitting down next to her. Raven had not told anyone of the day she and Rapunzel learned of the pregnancy and she was the only one, besides Eugene, who knew her concerns and she was trying to be as supportive as possible. "She has to start preparing now for a healthy pregnancy: eating right, changing dietary habits, and she'll probably need to gain some weight, because look at how skinny she is. And both of them would probably do well to start buying diapers and clothes now, because babies go through a lot of them and –" Jeff put a hand over his wife's mouth.

"Raven, honey, stop it, you're scaring her."

"I'm not scared, just concerned that a woman without a child knows all this."

"Girl, I'm married, I'm going to research this stuff." Everyone laughed at Raven's sass, including Rapunzel.

A plate of food was given to Rapunzel. The smell of fries drifted up her nose and right into a pit of sudden nausea. Embarrassed, but left with no other options, Rapunzel bolted for the ladies room, a hand over her mouth. Everyone stared off after her, concerned.

"Oh, great," Eugene mumbled.

"What? Is Rapunzel alright," asked Isabelle.

"Yeah, she's fine, she just get's evening sickness instead of morning."

"Oh," friends and family said in unison. Moments later, Rapunzel came back, her face bright red.

"I'm sorry about that. It's no insult to your food, Vlad. Some foods just set me off."

"So far, it's coffee, tacos, Lucky Charms, Oreos, and now French fries," Eugene said, listing the nauseous food off on his fingers.

"Oh, you poor thing," Mrs. King said, taking her hand and patting it.

"It's not so bad. It's worse for Eugene; he's given up coffee for me."

"Heh, the crazy things we do for love," said Jeff.

"I just hope the throwing up stops soon."

"Sometimes you're sick the whole term," Raven told Rapunzel.

"Oh, great." Rapunzel felt another wave of sickness. She bent over, a hand to her stomach. Everyone leaned towards her. She waved a hand. "I'm fine, it passed."

"Oh, honey, why don't you just go home?" suggested Mrs. King. "You look a little green."

"But-"

"Hey, you've got to take it easy," said Max. "You're living for two now."

"Yeah, don't want you stressing out," Pascal put in.

Everyone urged Rapunzel and Eugene to go home. They finally broke.

"Alright, we're leaving."

"I'm sorry I got sick."

"Don't worry about it, pregnant women are always an exception to leaving early," said Vlad. "Go home and rest."

"Goodnight," everyone said with hugs and kisses."

"Goodnight, see you later," said the couple, closing the door to Vlad's.

Rapunzel sighed and looked up at Eugene.

"We have really good friends, don't we?"

"We sure do." Eugene took Rapunzel's hand and they started off for the apartment in the late evening heat of July. "Well, that was rather painless, wasn't it?"

"I think Raven was trying really hard to keep her tongue in her mouth. She only went off on tangents a few times."

"This is true. Jeff must have talked to her," Eugene chuckled. "Oh, everyone seems really happy for us, don't they?"

"Yeah, you're mom especially."

"She's just happy to have a little baby to hold. All she's ever wanted was a child of her own." Eugene and Rapunzel were silent for a spell.

"I'm surprised by how no one was or seemed… I don't know, upset with us."

"Eh-heheh, actually, Blondie, uh… they weren't surprised when I told them." The two came to a cross walk.

"What?"

"Yeah… my delinquent achievements precede me. It's sad to say, but everyone expected me to… you know, get a girl pregnant...out of wedlock…yeah…" Rapunzel blinked at him.

"Because you're a man floozy?"

"What? No. Sort of… was." he grinned down at her. "I might have been a bit of a man floozy a few years ago, but," he kissed the top of her head, "I have everything I could ever want with you. I have never been happier, Rapunzel. I love you."

"I love you too." They crossed the street and Flynnigan's Tower of Books bookstore was in sight.

"Eugene, I don't want you to think that I'm not happy, because I am."

"What?" He gazed down at her, puzzled.

"I know I haven't been as ecstatic as you and maybe everyone else, and I'm still scared, but I am happy. I don't want things to change between us just because I'm pregnant. I love you, and I know the two of us will love this baby. I just don't want you to think that I'm not happy."

"I… I never thought you weren't happy. I mean, I know you're scared and probably feeling a little muddled about things, but you haven't seemed unhappy to me. I know that you're going through a lot. We both are, but that's okay. All parents probably feel this way."

"Probably," Rapunzel mused back.

"But," Eugene said as he scooped Rapunzel off her feet, "you, Rapunzel Moore, have made me the happiest man on earth. I can't even imagine my life being different, or without you in it." He kissed her. Rapunzel wrapped her arms around his neck at the embrace.

"Well, you've made me the happiest woman on earth, and as long as I'm with you, I know I'll always be happy." And as Eugene put her back down and they went back on their way home, Rapunzel knew her words to be true. She was happy with Eugene.

She put a hand over her belly.

And she was happy with her coming future too.


	24. Chapter 24

_When you have love, there's nothing else you need. Nothing at all._

Chapter 24 – Investing in Future Luck and Love

At four weeks pregnant, Rapunzel was curious to know what she going to look like in nine months. When Eugene wasn't home, she slipped on one of his T-shirts and put a blown up balloon underneath it. She looked at herself in the mirror from multiple angles.

"Good lord, I'm going to look like a whale."

Outside the bedroom, Rapunzel heard the front door open.

"Rapunzel, I came home to check on you." Rapunzel came out of the bedroom. "Are you feeling," Eugene saw Rapunzel in his T-shirt and balloon. "WHAT THE FUCK?"

"Eugene, it's okay!" She pulled the balloon out. "It was only a balloon."

"Oh, good lord in heaven, thank God." Eugene collapsed onto a chair at the dining table. "I thought the Doctor had picked me up without me realizing it and dropped me off nine months later."

Rapunzel walked over to him.

"You think the Doctor would pick you as a companion?"

"Why not, I'm useful." Rapunzel laughed at him. He took her hand. "What were you doing, sweetie?" Rapunzel's cheeks flared.

"I was just wondering what I'll look like in nine months. I'm going to look like a whale."

"Maybe if you tried it with a shirt that wasn't blue."

"Eugene!" She punched his arm.

"It was only a suggestion," he chuckled. Eugene stood and walked Rapunzel over to the couch. "Hm, in nine months, you will be huge, but in an absolutely adorable way and you will obviously be my beautiful, smart, talented, wife." Eugene produced a little box from his pocket. Rapunzel stared at it. She sat down slowly and Eugene knelt in front of her. He opened the box to reveal a ring, set with an amethyst in the center of two diamonds. Rapunzel gaped at the ring.

"Eugene, you're not doing this because I'm pregnant with your child, are you?" Eugene almost looked hurt. He set the ring box aside and took Rapunzel's hands.

"Rapunzel, I met you six months ago. I didn't know where we were headed, but I knew for certain that I was going to fall in love with you." Rapunzel opened her mouth to speak. Eugene held up a hand. "I just knew. And if I knew that then, then I knew I was going to marry you. I don't want us to get married because you're pregnant. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And I want our child to know that their parents' love each other and that they are loved by us. I'm not doing this because it's the right thing, or because I feel I have to; I want to, because I love you." Eugene paused to let Rapunzel say something, if she wanted to. She didn't. He smiled at her and stroked her face. "So, Rapunzel Moore, will you marry me?" She didn't know why, but tears welled in her eyes.

"Yes. Yes, I will marry you, Eugene Fitzherbert." Eugene grinned wider than he'd ever smiled before. He took the box and slipped the ring on Rapunzel's finger. She glanced down at it before she kissed him, taking his rough face in her hands. When they pulled apart, Rapunzel beamed at him.

"You know, you haven't shaven in a few days." Eugene snorted.

"Is that a problem," he asked her.

"Not really." She kissed him again. Eugene kissed back and his hands became very friendly all of a sudden. "Eugene… what are you doing."

"Just loving you," he mumbled. He gingerly pulled her off the couch and down into his lap. His mouth trailed down her neck. She tried to resist.

"Eugene, don't you have to get back to work?"

"I have some time."

"Wait," She pushed him back. "Can we even have sex while I'm pregnant?"

"Sure, I just gotta be gentle." He went back to her neck and Rapunzel felt her insides knot up with pleasure.

"Why do you always have to be so horny?"

"Can you blame me? I've got the most beautiful fiancé in the world." Eugene brushed his lips against hers and slipped his hands under the T-shirt she was wearing. He pushed her bra up and freed her breasts. He was gentle, but insistent in his touch. Rapunzel's senses were responsive all most instantly. Her heart palpitated and her breath hitched in her throat. Her own hands pulled up his shirt and snaked over his chest.

Eugene shifted the two of them away from the couch and laid Rapunzel on the floor. He tugged her shirt up, exposing her skin to the air. His mouth left hers and found her plump breasts. The tenderness of them had started and Rapunzel moaned in odd delighted pain. The sensation was like the sting of using a muscle that had been immobile from an injury that was still sore. It was strangely addicting and only excited Rapunzel more.

Her legs twitched and came up underneath Eugene. Her knees knocked him in the stomach. He chuckled through his repositioning to better accommodate her. Rapunzel wasn't sure if she wanted to hold him with her legs or use them to invite him in. She decided to do half and half. She threw one leg over his hips and spread the other wide.

Rapunzel's fingers lightly tickled Eugene's sides as they traveled down to undo his belt and zipper. She jerked at his pants and partially took his briefs with. His heat burned her with electrocuting desire.

Eugene growled with pleasure at Rapunzel's eagerness.

"Mm," he mused, "let's see about getting you ready." He yanked on her panties and pulled them completely off. He brushed a finger lightly over her most sensitive spot and was bemused to discover she didn't need much preparation. "Impatient today, aren't we?" he rumbled lowly to her.

"Not as impatient as you," she told him. Eugene just shrugged.

He ran his coarse skinned hands up her legs and wrapped his fingers firmly around her thighs. He took them and draped her legs over his arms and as his hands went down, he pulled his briefs off. His hands then went to her hips (and he decided to be a little grabby with her ass) and held this part of her aloft.

"Rapunzel, support yourself with your hands. Like you're leaning back on them." Rapunzel did what he asked, confused. She was now elevated off the floor. "Ready?" he asked her. She nodded. Eugene rocked her to him and pressed himself in.

Rapunzel moaned and Eugene swung her out.

_I feel like an amusement ride_, Rapunzel thought to herself. It seemed a little undignified, but it felt amazing. The only thing she didn't like was how she couldn't touch Eugene. He couldn't even fondle her the way she liked because he had to hold her up. But the swing of her hips as she rammed into him; each jolt made her head spin, like she was on an amusement ride instead of being the ride.

By the way Eugene had her, he pressed against her walls in a delicious fashion; the perfect amount of pressure. She could feel how hard he was and his movements were so compact, so restrained and precise. There was so much happening between the two of them: her shoulder joints rolling in their sockets, her hips rocking forward and back, and his own hips as he thrust into her. The perfect ride.

Her first orgasm ricocheted through her limbs and her arms dropped from under her. Rapunzel flopped on the floor and just let Eugene do what he wanted.

"Ra-punzel," he grunted, "grab my neck." Despite that she was still recovering from her liberation, she did and Eugene's whole position in her changed. He was now deeper and grinding vigorously at her clit. The friction spawned a fresh orgasm. Her whole body twitched and her breaths kept catching her throat as she moaned. She mewled out his name as her grip on his neck slipped.

"Hold on to me, Rapunzel." She did.

Never breaking his drive, Eugene put Rapunzel down and embraced her lovingly. Rapunzel was getting so tight on him, and the high he was getting off it was all he could think about.

A third orgasm crackled deep inside Rapunzel and she was spent. The contractions of her vagina squeezed Eugene that his release came too. He stayed there for a second, panting, then fell down beside Rapunzel. They both let moments pass for their heads to de-fuddle, before speaking.

"Gentle enough?"

"I can't tell," Rapunzel mumbled. She turned on her side and propped her head up an elbow. "But it was fun."

Eugene turned on his side too.

"Oh, you too?"

Rapunzel giggled at him. He pulled her close and stroked her hair.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" he asked.

"I can guess." Rapunzel fingered her engagement ring. "I love you too." He squeezed her.

"And that makes me so happy." Eugene grew quiet. Rapunzel twisted her legs into his. That reminded Eugene. "You know, you haven't shaven in a few days either." Rapunzel scoffed and pulled herself from Eugene. She stood up and retrieved her panties.

"Well, get used to it," she told him, her voice dripping with fake indignation. "Because when I'm the size of a house, I won't even be able to bend down to put my shoes on, let alone shave my legs." Rapunzel slipped into her underwear. Eugene got up himself and pulled his own clothes back on.

"Hm, maybe I could find a hairy lady sexy."

Rapunzel rolled her eyes at him.

"Does nothing not you turn you on?"

"Sure," he said coming up behind her to rub her shoulders. "Anyone who isn't you." He pressed a kiss to her neck. One of his hands meandered to her front and trailed down to where he had just been. Rapunzel winced as she tried to push his hand away, her stomach filling with somersaulting butterflies.

"No, stop, it's still sensitive," she whined.

"You want to go again?" He tilted her head around and kissed her, sneaking his tongue in her mouth. She turned into him, throwing her arms around his neck. God, yes, she wanted to go again, but someone had to have better sense. She pulled away.

"You've got to get work."

"Ah, but it's so nice in here. I have everything I could ever want right here."

Rapunzel put a hand over her stomach.

"But you make the big bucks around here for junior. Don't you want your child to have everything in the world?"

"You kidding me? The only person I'm going to spoil is you." Rapunzel frowned at him. "Alright, fine, I'm going." He cupped her face and kissed her. He stooped to her tummy and placed a kiss there. "I will spoil you too, but don't tell your mom." Rapunzel giggled.

Eugene picked up his things. When he got to the door, Rapunzel rushed at him to straighten all his clothes properly.

"We don't need Mr. Hook knowing what you were doing."

"They already know what we do." He indicated to her stomach.

"Still," she said.

Eugene opened the door. In the door frame, he turned around and faced Rapunzel.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

They kissed once more and Eugene left for his job at Music's Dream Music Store.


	25. Chapter 25

_I should have known, I just should have known. She always got what she wanted and she wanted me._

Chapter 25 – Attacked: Where's Your Luck Now?

It was six o'clock at Music's Dream music store and that meant it was time to roll up the sidewalk. Mr. Hook came from the back as Eugene was filing the day's paper work.

"Oh, Eugene, you don't need to do that. Don't you want to get home to Rapunzel?"

"It's fine. You said your back was hurting. Just get on home and put your feet up."

"You make me sound like an old man."

"Your words, not mine." Mr. Hook gave Eugene the stink eye.

"Well, you'll be the old man soon enough."

Eugene laughed.

"Don't I know it."

Mr. Hook tried to help Eugene with the filing, but Eugene pulled it away from him.

"Go home. If you don't get off your feet and stop your back from hurting, you'll be cranky tomorrow and that's just what I need."

"You've always gotta be cheeky, huh? Cheeky men don't make good fathers."

"I don't know about that; Dad wasn't cheeky at all, he was an ass."

"Eugene…" Mr. Hook hadn't meant his joke to go that way. Eugene shrugged it off.

"It doesn't matter. I'll be a better father than he was."

"I know you will, son." Mr. Hook patted Eugene's back. "We all know that."

"Yeah, it's just… I called him, you know, just to tell him, and… he didn't care."

"Oh, Eugene, why? You haven't spoken to him in nearly twelve years. Why now?"

"I just thought he might have changed. He didn't." Eugene became engrossed in the filing. Mr. Hook shook his head.

"Just forget about him, Eugene. Nic and Isabelle are your parents now."

"I know." He turned to Mr. Hook. "And I couldn't ask for better parents."

"No, you really couldn't." Mr. Hook sighed. "You've come a long way from where you were, Eugene, you know that, don't you."

"Yeah."

"From vandalism and stealing cars, to high society parents and private schools, to a wonderful girlfriend and parenthood," Mr. Hook became a little choked. "I'm so proud of you, Eugene."

"Okay, don't start crying."

"I'm not! This is just liquid pride."

"Whatever you say."

Mr. Hook checked his watch.

"Damn it, I'm going to be late for my bus. See what you made me do."

"I didn't do anything!"

"Ah, whatever." Mr. Hook grabbed his bag and walked to the front door. He turned around. "Don't stay too late. I swear, if you leave Rapunzel alone in that apartment, I will tan your hide."

"Yes, sir." Eugene bent to finish his work.

"Hey, Eugene."

"What?" He looked up.

"I mean it when I said I'm proud of you. I'm happy for you and Rapunzel. It seems like things are finally going right for your life."

"Heh, yeah. Took it long enough, right?"

"Right. Night, Eugene. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Uncle Brad."

Mr. Hook hadn't heard that title in years. He smiled to himself as he opened the door. The bells jangled as he left.

"He's gotten so sentimental in his old age," Eugene said to himself.

In his pocket, Eugene felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out and saw that Rapunzel had just sent him a text.

[You're coming home soon, right? Can you bring home dinner? I don't feel like cooking.]

Eugene chuckled and replied back.

[Sure. Anything in particular?]

[I don't know. The weird cravings haven't started yet. Something that won't make me throw up.]

[I'll try, babe. I love you.]

[I love you too. 3]

Eugene put his phone on the counter and stacked up the paperwork. He turned around to put them in the back office. He heard the bells above the door jingle. He spun around, thinking it was Mr. Hook.

"You forget somethin-"

It wasn't Mr. Hook. It was Donna Gothel.

She looked at him sheepishly, which was somehow possible to do in a bright red dress and black stiletto heels. Her hair was done up and her make-up was expertly applied for maximum enhancement of beauty.

"Hello," she said to him.

"I'm sorry, we're closed," Eugene replied coldly.

"I know, but please, I just want to talk."

"I said we're closed. You'll have to come back tomorrow."

"Please, Eugene, I just want to talk." Eugene faltered when she used his name.

"You remembered my name. I'm impressed."

"You did leave an impression when you introduced yourself to me, but…I did deserve the tongue lashing you gave me. I was being horrible."

"Yes, you were," Eugene agreed.

Donna walked further into the store.

"Please, won't you at least listen to me?"

"I've got to get home."

"Is Rapunzel there?" Eugene didn't let his face tell her yes. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine." Donna sighed in relief.

"Good." She glanced at him. "I probably don't deserve sympathy, but please, will you listen to me? I need to tell someone close to Rapunzel."

"Why. Do you want me to tell her something?"

"How much I miss her. I never realized it until she was gone." Donna rummaged in her purse for something. She pulled out a folded up piece of yellow notepad paper. "This is the letter Rapunzel wrote to me when she left." Donna looked down at it as she unfolded it. She glanced at Eugene when it was open. "I've read this letter over and over, and it reminds me how horrible I was to Rapunzel." She looked back down at the letter. "'_You always said you never wanted me, so, you got your wish; I'm gone. I know you won't miss me, so I guess we're even there. I know I never want to see you again, and I don't care if that sounds cold, but it is the truth. I'm done with you and I'll never let myself be used by you again.'_" Donna looked at Eugene. "I'm her aunt and she's right; I was so cruel to her and I did use her. What sort of person does that make me? How could I treat my own niece like that?"

Eugene had no reply for Donna. He just crossed his arms. Donna walked closer to the counter.

"At first, I was happy she was gone, but then I realized how alone I was, and how alone I had made Rapunzel feel. She lived with me for twelve years, and all of a sudden, she was gone. I took a long look at myself, Eugene, and I was hideous. I threw out all the alcohol, the drugs, I even quit smoking. I've been in therapy and group meetings to make myself a better person, and I want Rapunzel to see what I've done for myself."

"Have you considered that she'll still want nothing to do with you, because you didn't bother to try to change when you had her?"

"Yes, I have thought it, but that's always the problem, isn't it? You only realize what you had when it's gone. I sincerely wish I had realized how much I loved my niece when I still had her, before I chased her away. But at least, she found a good friend in you, right? You've been taking care of her, haven't you?"

"Of course. Ever since I met her, I've been looking out for her. That's why I convinced her to get away from you."

"You did?" A funny expression crept over Donna's face. "Is that so? Well, you did the right thing. I don't know what I would have done to Rapunzel if she had stayed with me. I was on the deep end. I just wish I could see her, and show her how I've changed. I want to tell her I love her."

Eugene ran a hand through his hair, sighing. Rapunzel would be calling him soon, wondering where he was. He had to get rid of Donna soon.

"Look, I can ask Rapunzel if she wants to see you, talk to you, but I won't force her to do anything she doesn't want to."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about being the middle man." Donna slipped a hand into her purse. "I'll see her myself." Donna drew a gun from her purse and aimed it at Eugene. He saw what was happening, but he could not move. He didn't even hear the shot, but he felt the pain as the bullet ripped through him, sizzling his insides with the fire used to propel it. He collapsed on the counter, a hand going to his stomach. Donna walked up to him.

"So you were the one who took her away from me. I knew you had something to do with her absence. I knew she never would have left on her own. And I suppose you really have taken care of her, haven't you. Tell, me, how many times have you taken advantage of her?"

Eugene ground his teeth. The wound was so hot and the pain wouldn't go away. He could barely think.

"I ha..aven't duuh-nnn aaany-thing to 'er."

"I'm sure." Donna raised the gun, angling it to hit him with it.

Eugene pushed himself off the counter and reached to grab the weapon. Donna panicked and fired the gun again as she took a step back. Another bullet tore though Eugene's gut and embedded itself in the wall behind him. Still, he went at Donna. He wasn't going to let her go after Rapunzel and harm her or his child.

Donna could hardly believe her eyes as Eugene still advanced towards her. She fired twice more at him. His left arm and shoulder jerked and blood spurted from his chest and mid arm. He finally went down, falling on his back behind the counter. A hand was over his gut and one at his chest, right above where his heart was. He was so blinded by the searing throbs as blood rushed to clot the wounds, he did not see Donna stoop over him, until he felt her hand on his mouth. He felt the barrel of the gun on his left thigh.

"Case you get any ideas about following me." The gun sounded for a fifth time. Eugene screamed for the first time, his adrenaline no longer present to take the brunt of the pain.

Donna stood and placed the gun back in her purse.

"I really have changed, Eugene. I want my niece back and I want to love her. Unfortunately, there's no room for you in our new life, but don't worry, you'll bleed out soon enough and then you'll be able to watch over Rapunzel from heaven. Or hell, if that's what you're into." Shadows began to run the rim of Eugene's line of vision and he only heard Donna leave as her heels clicked out. He heard the bells and the door close.

"Ra…pun…zel… some…one…help… her…"

Mr. Hook could not believe his bad memory anymore. Someone had brought in an antique violin for him to restore and the tools for it were at home, so he was going to bring the violin home to work on it. He remembered he'd left it in the back of the shop, just as the bus pulled up to take him home. He grumbled all the way back to get the instrument.

When he turned the corner to Music's Dream Music Shop, he saw that the lights were still on. Confused, he looked down at his watch. It was 6:25.

"What is Eugene still doing here?" he asked himself. Figuring that there must be some reason, Mr. Hook went up to his shop. He thought it a slight bit strange that he did not see Eugene inside, however.

"Maybe he's putting something away in the back."

He took out his keys, but when his hand was on the doorknob, he found the door wasn't even locked. "Why hasn't he locked the door yet?" This wasn't like Eugene at all. The shop should have been locked and empty with the lights off. Mr. Hook went inside.

"Eugene, why are you still here?" There was no reply from anywhere in the store. "Eugene?" he called again. Mr. Hook couldn't be sure, but he thought he smelled gunpowder. Maybe it was singed wires. Perhaps a fuse blow someplace and Eugene was taking care of it. "Eugene, where are you?" Mr. Hook walked behind the counter to look in the back room, but his foot hit something and almost tripped him. He looked down and his heart dropped right out of his chest.

He had found Eugene, on the floor and in a pool of blood.

"Oh, my God, Eugene!" He went to him immediately, wrapping his arms around him. Mr. Hook noticed the areas with the darkest blood and counted five bullet holes: two in his stomach, one in his leg, one in his arm, and one in his chest. Eugene had a hand over his gut and one at his shoulder. Mr. Hook pressed a hand over Eugene's at his stomach. "Oh, my God, oh, my God, Eugene! Eugene." Mr. Hook put a finger to Eugene's throat. He waited a few seconds; he could barely feel his pulse. "Eugene, please, open your eyes, it's me, Uncle Brad." Eugene's eyes fluttered as he stirred. They opened to tiny slits. He tried to lift an arm.

"Ra…pun…zel…"

Mr. Hook saw his lips move, but didn't hear the word. Eugene's head flopped back down.

"Oh, no, you don't, Eugene, stay with me!" He shook him and Eugene moaned in pain. "Sorry, but if you feel pain, that means you're still alive." Mr. Hook put Eugene down and pulled out his phone, but the screen was black. "Son of a bitch phone." He tossed it aside and saw Eugene's phone sitting on the counter. He reached for it and got past the security code. "You're lucky you never change your password," Mr. Hook said to him. Eugene gave no reply. Mr. Hook dialed 911. The one ring was the most excruciating wait of his life.

"911, what is your emergency?"

"An employee of mine has been shot, five times. He's bleeding a lot."

"Okay, sir, I need you tell me where you are."

"It's Music's Dream Music Store at Mercier and 143rd. Please, hurry, he's already bled so much."

"Okay sir, they'll be there soon. Are you applying pressure to the wounds?"

"Yes."

"Keep doing that until the paramedics get there."

Mr. Hook set the phone aside and put his now free hand on Eugene's chest, where the hole was dangerously close to his heart.

"Come on, Eugene. Hold on, just hold on, help is coming. Please, hold on."

"Ra…pun…zel..."

Again, Mr. Hook did not hear his godson's words.


	26. Chapter 26

_Lies are not becoming of anyone, especially of people who supposedly love you._

Chapter 26 – Shattered Faith in Luck

Rapunzel sat on the couch, giddy. She kept staring at the engagement ring, her engagement ring, and she was rubbing her belly. There was a baby in there and it was Eugene's and hers. And she was marrying him. How much more perfect could her life be?

On the TV, the main title screen for _Court Jester_ was up. Eugene would be home any minute and she and him were going to watch his favorite movie, but Rapunzel wondered if he'd try to replay that afternoon. She giggled at the memory.

She got up from the couch to stretch. She was only four weeks pregnant, but her body was already starting to get sore. She didn't realize that it could happen so early, but the doctor had told her that all pregnancies are different.

Rapunzel wandered to look out the window, thinking that maybe by chance she'd see Eugene's car drive by and pull in behind the bookstore. She stared out it awhile, watching nameless cars and passengers drive by. She imagined herself and Eugene in a car, with a baby seat in the back, a little bundle of joy tucked in and fast asleep. Then there would be a booster seat, first day of kindergarten, high school, graduation, sending them off to college. Rapunzel couldn't actually see their child, because she couldn't decide if she wanted a boy or a girl, but just thinking of the milestones made her happy.

She wondered which gender Eugene would prefer. She hadn't asked him yet; maybe she should.

Rapunzel was just so ecstatic. The feeling had hit when Eugene put the ring on her finger. This was going to be her future and she was going to have it with Eugene and a precious little angel. She might have been imaging illusions of grandeur, but Rapunzel saw Eugene as a successful author, herself a world renowned artist. Their child would be incredibly gifted in all areas: academia, art, theater, athleticism. She could see the three of them happy and together.

Then Rapunzel thought about more children, and she stopped herself right there. Their first child wasn't even out of the first trimester; Rapunzel wasn't sure she could handle more than one at a time.

Eugene was still home yet. She'd been watching the window for the last ten minutes. She took her phone off the coffee table and texted him.

[You're coming home soon, right?] She thought of something else to add. [Can you bring home dinner? I don't feel like cooking.]

Her cell buzzed with Eugene's reply.

[Sure. Anything in particular?]

Rapunzel thought.

[I don't know. The weird cravings haven't started yet. Something that won't make me throw up.]

[I'll try, babe. I love you.]

Rapunzel smiled.

[I love you too. 3]

Rapunzel put her phone back on the coffee table and decided to clean the apartment up a bit. The last few days, Rapunzel had either been working or too sick to get out of bed. The pregnancy was really taking a lot out of her. Some days, he stomach churned, other days, she felt like a million bucks. It was just odd.

Eugene had tried to do his part around the apartment; he'd done a few loads of laundry, cleaned dishes here and there and dusted. However, Eugene was pulling extra hours where he could. Even though he had loads of money saved up, according to him, that was his parents' money and he wanted to do what he could for his child. He was already a good father.

Rapunzel took a basket of clean clothes and sat down on the couch. She turned the TV over from the DVD player to a station. She flipped channels and found a marathon of My Little Pony on. She settled into her work and listened to the antics of the ponies.

Total, there had been three baskets of clothes and in thirty minutes, Rapunzel had sorted and folded every single one of them. However, in those thirty minutes, Eugene had not shown up. She glanced down at her phone, wondering if she should give him a call.

"I wonder where he went for dinner." Rapunzel decided to not call him. She didn't want to seem like she was fretting about him.

She put the clothes away and as she was coming back to the couch, she heard sirens in the distance. Rapunzel ran up to the window as a fire engine passed, followed by two police cars. A few minutes later, an ambulance zoomed by. Another police car wailed by too.

"My, God," Rapunzel said to herself, "I wonder what happened. I hope it's nothing serious." She strained to see where they were all going. It looked like they were turning downtown. Rapunzel shrugged the incident off and walked back to the couch when the doorbell rang.

Rapunzel stopped mid step and stared at the door. She wasn't expecting anyone. Was it Eugene? Were his hands too full to open the door? Rapunzel crossed the apartment floor. There was no peephole on the door, so Rapunzel opened it just a crack. She saw black heels and then she saw who those heels were connected to.

Rapunzel slammed the door in her Aunt Donna's face.

_How did she find me? Oh, God, Eugene, where are you?_

Donna knocked on the door.

"Rapunzel, are you alright?"

_Of course I'm not alright!_ You_ just showed up on my doorstep._

"Rapunzel, please, open the door, I want to talk to you."

"Go away."

"Rapunzel, please. I know I deserve whatever hate you have towards me, but please, I want to talk."

Rapunzel struggled with herself. She knew Eugene would be furious with her if she let her aunt in, but what would the harm be in talking? She cracked the door open again.

"Are you sober?" Donna looked hurt by the question.

"Yes. That's what I want to talk to you about." Rapunzel squinted her eyes at her aunt. She did look sober. Rapunzel sighed and opened the door fully.

"Five minutes. Eugene will be home soon and he won't want you here."

"Of course." Donna stepped in. "Eugene… is that the man who pushed you out of the way of that car?"

"Yes." Rapunzel wandered to the couch. She tried to sound cold to her aunt.

"You know, I'm so glad that he did that, because well…" Donna trailed off. She hurried to the couch and sat down beside her niece. "Oh, Rapunzel!" Donna threw her arms around her and sobbed into her shoulder.

This was a new experience for Rapunzel. She'd never been touched by her aunt, except when she had slapped her in the face when she was high.

"Oh, Rapunzel," she wept as she stroked her hair, "I've missed you so much." She pulled back and took Rapunzel's hands. "I know what this must sound like after I treated you, but Rapunzel, I really have. My house and my life are so empty without you in it."

Rapunzel gawked at her aunt, her jaw hanging loose. Was she hearing the right words?

"Right after I realized how much I missed you, I looked at myself to figure out why you left me and it was so painfully obvious. I threw out all the alcohol, the drugs, the cigarettes: I threw it all away and I've been going to meetings to get to this point, to be sitting here beside you and telling you how sorry I am."

Rapunzel's brain finally clicked on. She pulled her hands from her aunt's and stood.

"You're sorry? You're sorry? Don't you think that's a few years too late? Where's the 'I'm sorry your parents died?' or the 'I'm sorry I forgot your birthday' or 'I'm sorry I slugged you because I was high off MY FUCKING ASS?'" Rapunzel huffed at her aunt. "What the hell, Donna? Twelve years you have to be an aunt to me and the moment I get away from you and am finally happy with my life, you barge in and say 'you're sorry?' I don't think so." Rapunzel crossed the apartment to the door. "Get out." Donna stood.

"Rapunzel, there's something else, and I have to know, because you're happiness for the rest of your life could be ruined."

"What?"

"Are you and this… Eugene…dating?" Rapunzel threw her arms up.

"What, you want to know if I'm screwing around with him because I'm a dirty little whore? No, we're not dating, we're engaged." Rapunzel held her left hand up. Donna was shocked.

"En-engaged? But you just met him six months ago."

"We happen to be very much in love."

"Then I think you need to see this." Donna sat back down and dug in her purse for something. She produced a manila envelope. Rapunzel looked at it quizzically.

"What's that," she asked.

"Please, sit back down." Sighing, Rapunzel went back to her aunt.

"The last thing I want to do right now is upset you, but you have to see these photos."

"Photos?" Donna handed the envelope to her niece. Rapunzel bent up the metal brad and pulled the contents out. The first photo was sideways; Rapunzel righted it and examined the subject.

It had been taken from far away, probably with some telescopic lens. The zoom on the picture was amazing. It was focused on a building and on a certain floor; the top floor to be exact. On the floor were two people. She squinted at them. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to know who they were.

"Look at the next photo, Rapunzel." She flipped to the next one. This shot was closer. She could see that the two people were a male and female, both with brown hair and they were kissing. Rapunzel knew that pose well; it was the pose right before two people would make love.

"If you'll look at the next one, you'll see who they are." Rapunzel glanced at her, confused. What was her aunt getting at? Still, she flipped to the next photograph and her heart stopped for the second time that evening.

She could finally see who was in whose arms.

Eugene Fitzherbert was embracing Isabelle King.

There was no mistaking Eugene's profile. Mrs. King could have been easily mistaken, but Rapunzel could tell it was her penthouse apartment by the dining room table behind them. She turned to the next photo. Eugene had Mrs. King on the table, her legs spread.

"No…" Rapunzel looked at the next one. It was still them, but now they were in a different place; they were in Eugene's apartment, on the floor, completely naked.

"No…" She flicked again through the photos; every single one, Eugene and Mrs. King were in each other's arms, obviously enraptured by their affair.

"No!" Rapunzel threw the photos away. They scattered across the coffee table and floor. Donna put her arms around Rapunzel.

"I know, I know." She stroked her hair, like earlier that day Eugene had, so tenderly and lovingly.

"No…" Rapunzel bawled into her aunt's chest. "It's not true! It's not true! Eugene loves me! He asked me to marry him!"

"I know, but it's true. After you left, I was worried about you and hired a private investigator and when he told me about that man, I asked him to trail him too. This is what he turned up."

"NO!" Donna shushed her.

"I know it hurts and I hate being the one to tell you this, but this is the truth. I know you thought you loved him, but Rapunzel, he doesn't love you, but I do."

"No. Eugene loves me. He has to love me." She put a hand to her stomach. "He must love me."

"I should have warned you, Rapunzel. I really should have warned you what sort of men are out there. The world is dark and selfish and cruel. If it finds even the slightest ray of sunshine, it destroys it." Rapunzel still sobbed at her aunt's bosom. "I'm sorry, Rapunzel, I really am, but you have no future with Eugene Fitzherbert. He used you and he will throw you away."

And now Rapunzel was pregnant by him. He really had used her; Eugene had played her. He had played her! She should have known better. Why would he want her when he could have someone had gorgeous as Isabelle King? But how could he have pretended to care for her for so long. Everything he'd ever done for her: letting her move in, not rushing a relationship, waiting for her to be ready. How he was a rock when she found out she was pregnant. How could he fake _all_ that?

Rapunzel's mind reeled.

She was his mother! She seemed so nice, but would she prey upon her adopted son like that? If Eugene was hers, why had she not been more stand-offish to Rapunzel? Why had she accepted her like a daughter? Was it all to keep up appearances? Was Mrs. King in the market for that sort of gratification? She was much younger than her husband; could he not…perform to her satisfaction? But would she really turn cougar on her son? It disgusted Rapunzel.

"Listen to me, Rapunzel; everything is going to be alright. Everything will be as it should be, because I realized I love you and I need you. I need you, Rapunzel, and I want you to come live with me again."

Rapunzel looked at her aunt with a tear streaked and blotchy face. Her aunt smiled tenderly at her, feeling her hurt. She bushed locks of hair from her eyes.

"I guess it was you who I saw at the gallery show. You went and cut your hair and dyed it back. It looks lovely on you, flower."

Rapunzel studied Donna; she desperately wanted to believe her aunt when she said she loved her. She sounded so sincere, but Rapunzel had heard her utter those words to tens of men and left them all. But she was different, right? She was family. Rapunzel was so confused and hurt. She had no idea what to believe. She saw her engagement ring blink in the lamp light.

On the coffee table, Rapunzel's phone began to ring under the obscene photos. Rapunzel bent over and picked it up. The caller I.D. said it was Eugene.

"Don't answer that, Rapunzel. I went to him earlier tonight to tell him to stay away from you. I told him I was going to confess for him, that I wasn't going to let him hurt you."

Rapunzel rejected the call. She looked at her aunt.

"You said you love me."

"Yes."

"And you want us to be together again, be a real family?"

"Yes."

"We'll be happy, just like we should be?"

"Of course, Rapunzel. I'll love you like I should have and more."

Rapunzel looked back down at her ring and at the photos. She turned back to her aunt.

"I don't want to live in New Sonneburg."

"Of course. We'll live wherever you want us to live."

With an aching heart, Rapunzel pulled her ring off, the ring Eugene had just put on her finger that day, and left it on the coffee table, just when her phone rang at her again. She stood and let it ring.

"I'm going to pack."

"Of course, flower."

Rapunzel left her aunt on the couch to pack up her life she had had with Eugene, to never remember it again.


	27. Chapter 27

_God knows that whatever I thought he had done to me, I never wanted him to get hurt._

Chapter 27 – When Luck Runs Out

Mr. Hook ran it again in his head.

He found Eugene. He was bleeding, but he had a pulse. Mr. Hook knew that for certain; he felt it. He called 911. The paramedics came. They pulled him back. The police asked him questions, but he didn't hear a one. He watched the men who worked over Eugene. They worked too slow, he thought. Eugene would bleed out before they were done, but they bandaged the holes. There was still so much blood.

They got Eugene on a gurney and wheeled him into the ambulance. The police finally gave up on Mr. Hook as far as questioning went and they took him to the hospital behind the ambulance. Mr. Hook walked by the gurney as they rolled Eugene in. Mr. Hook remembered him being so pale, his shirt cut to reach the wounds. There was still just so much blood.

Mr. Hook was removed from Eugene's side as they took him into an examination room. He was told to sit down. A few minutes later, someone came by and said that they were prepping Eugene for surgery. Mr. Hook only nodded his head, before he put it in his hand.

It all still didn't make sense. How could it have happened?

Mr. Hook was so wrapped up in his thoughts; he wasn't even noticing the smell of blood. He was covered in Eugene's blood. It was all over his shirt, jacket, and hand. Nurses and doctors would have asked him if he needed help, if it hadn't been for the fact that the stains were already turning brown around the edges.

"God, please don't let him die. I love that boy too much."

In the police ride to the hospital, Mr. Hook only had enough thought to call everyone. Mr. and Mrs. King were the first he called. He was still using Eugene's phone and they thought it was him at first, which made Mr. Hook's throat catch. They tried to ask a lot of questions, but Mr. Hook told them he didn't know the answers. He just told them to come to the hospital. That's what he told everyone. Everyone, except Rapunzel. He had not been able to reach her. He called her again, and again, and again, and again. He tried at the hospital again, and again, and again. She still wasn't answering. Mr. Hook was worried. Why could he not get a hold of her?

Mr. Hook pulled Eugene's phone out again and scrolled through his contact list. He hit send when he got to Rapunzel's number. It rang only once.

"Hey, this is Rapunzel. I'm sorry I didn't catch you. Leave a message and I'll get back to you, promise." It beeped on the other line.

"Hey, Rapunzel. It's Mr. Hook again, still on Eugene's phone. Please, please call me." He hit end. Mr. Hook sighed and looked at his watch. It was only 6:42. This was going to be the longest night of his life. His head went back into his hand when he suddenly heard his name.

"Brad!" Mr. Hook looked up at the sound of his name. Vlad was running towards him, Jeff and Raven dogging behind. They all had the same horrified face. "Where is he? Is he alright?" Mr. Hook suddenly realized that Vlad probably closed his bar early. Mr. Hook had no idea why that suddenly mattered.

"He's… in surgery right now." Mr. Hook was having a hard time talking.

Jeff and Raven came around Vlad.

"Surgery? Brad, what the hell happened?" Jeff put a hand on his old boss's arm and pulled him back from Mr. Hook.

"Mr. Hook, what happened to Eugene? You were so vague on the phone," Jeff said. "You only told us he'd been hurt."

"I'll explain when everyone gets here."

Just then, Pascal showed up. He was breathless. He'd obviously run in from his car.

"What… happened?" he gasped out. He was doubled over as he tried to catch his breath. He took a deep intake of air and got out, "What the hell happened? Where is Eugene?"

"They're taking care of him now," Raven said, saving Mr. Hook from having to do it. "We're waiting for everyone to show up, then Mr. Hook will fill us all in."

They were quite. Mr. Hook stayed sitting while the others continued to stand. They didn't need words; they all had the same questions and they knew they would still be there, with probably more, even after Mr. Hook would tell them what happened.

They heard quick clicking coming down the hall. Five heads popped up. Mrs. King was hurrying towards them, her shoulder purse swinging on her arm, having fallen down. Mr. King was just a few steps behind her.

"Where is he? Where is my son? Where is my son?" Mr. Hook stood up to catch Mrs. King from running down the hall.

"He's in surgery right now, Isabelle."

"Surgery, my God. Is he alright? All you said was that he was hurt." Isabelle's eyes were threatening to spill over. Mr. Hook steered her to where he had been sitting and helped her down. When he straightened, everyone noticed his bloody clothes for the first time. Mrs. King stared at it, horrified. "Brad, whose blood is that?" Mr. Hook let out a shaky sigh.

"It's Eugene's." Six pairs of eyes widened. "I found him… at the store. He'd been shot." There was a collective gasp. "Five times."

"Oh, my god…" Mrs. King's hand came up to her mouth. Mr. King took her hand.

"Who would have done this?" asked Jeff. "The Stabbington brothers?"

"No." Again, heads swiveled around. It was Max. He had finally arrived. He was still in his uniform and he looked like hell. His eyes were too dark and his face was a lot whiter than it usually was. "They were picked up just two days ago. They're in custody." He walked slowly and calmly up to the group, taking his hat off to put under his arm. He addressed Mr. Hook. "We checked your security tapes. They stop on the sixteenth." Mr. Hook squeezed his eyes shut.

"Yeah. They've been down a week, he groaned. "I was going to get them fixed tomorrow." He paused. "I just don't understand how this could have happened," he said to no one. "I was only gone ten, maybe fifteen minutes. How could someone have attacked him so fast?"

"Crimes have been done in shorter amounts of time." Max sounded too professional. Too removed from the situation. He did not let one flicker of emotion cross his face. "Rapunzel's not here," he said, noticing her absence. It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah, I called her, maybe a dozen times or more," Mr. Hook said. "I couldn't get a hold of her."

"I called her too," Raven said. "She didn't answer my call either."

"I went straight to voice mail," Pascal told the others.

They were silent again.

"Her phone is off?" asked Mr. King.

"Should someone go to the apartment," suggested Vlad.

"I was just there and she wasn't." Max's voice was still indifferent. "I went over there to drive her here, but she wasn't there." He was speaking slowly, having to carefully formulate his thoughts; everyone could see that. "While I was there, I found this on the table." Max held up a plastic bag. A plastic bag that had a red strip across the top that had black letters spelling 'evidence' on it. Inside the bag was a ring. The stones were amethyst and diamond. Everyone stared at the ring quizzically.

"What is that?" Pascal asked, inspecting it.

"Rapunzel's engagement ring." Max let a second pass for this to sink in. "Eugene showed it to me yesterday. He wanted to make sure he'd made a right choice in his purchase."

"Why is it in an evidence bag?" Mrs. King's voice trembled.

"I found it on the coffee table of the apartment. I also found these." Max produced a manila envelope no one had noticed before. He handed it to Mrs. King. She was confused, but opened the folder anyway. It was full of 10x8 photographs. She looked through them, obviously bewilder by a few, then she started to shake with rage.

"What is this?" she said through clenched teeth as she turned the photos around. Everyone squinted at it. Mrs. King and Eugene were…in each other's arms…kissing on a table. It was rather explicit.

"That's a fake," said Pascal.

"Obviously!" Pascal jumped at Mrs. King's visceral tone. Her face turned apologetic.

"You found these in the apartment?" Mr. King was having a hard time not yelling. Max nodded.

"And there was something I didn't find; Rapunzel's things." Everyone was quite again. "The essentials were gone: clothes, shoes, toiletries, and her phone. Rapunzel's gone."

_Gone._ Each present mind repeated it, but it did not register.

"Rapunzel wasn't forced to leave. There was no sign of a struggle." Struggle? Max was making the apartment sound like a crime report. He continued. "I really shouldn't tell you this, but the police believe that whoever shot Eugene, he knew. That's the only way he would have let them get close. They also say that Rapunzel was persuaded to leave, probably by those photos, so the perpetrator must have known Rapunzel too. Probably the same person. But the police have another theory." Max paused. This was a lot to take in. Even Max felt he was hearing it for the first time. "They suspect that Rapunzel is the one who shot Eugene, in a blind fit of rage and jealousy at the photos."

All at once, seven mouths started to tell Max that he was wrong, that Rapunzel would never hurt Eugene, that she would never believe those photos.

"Don't kill the messenger," he said sternly. Max's hands came up. "I'm having a hard enough time as it is." Max took the photos back. "I have to get back to the station, turn this in, check with the team on the apartment, write my report…" he trailed off. He stared at the floor. His shoulders were not squared, like they usually were. Dark circles sat like preying vultures under his eyes. He was so withered looking. Mrs. King stood up and put her hand on his arm.

"Max, please sit down." She led him to a chair. The others followed and sat as well. Mr. King and Vlad got coffee for everyone. Max got his first

"I was at the scene too," Max said.

Mr. Hook's head came up. Had Max been there? He couldn't say he saw him.

"There was… a lot of blood. And Eugene was so…pale." He leaned back in his seat and threw a hand over his eyes. "You know, we always joked it was gonna be me in there." He forced a laugh. "It's not a joke, Eugene, you fucker." Mrs. King rubbed Max's back.

A doctor and a nurse came around the corner. They both were in scrubs, masks pulled down past their chins. They approached Eugene's family and friends.

"Excuse me," said the doctor, "are all of you here for Eugene Fitzherbert?" Mr. and Mrs. King stood.

"We're his parents."

"I'm Dr. Bracket. We've been working on your son."

"How is he?"

"We really can't say right now. But we need to know, are any of you type O+?" Everyone looked at each other. That question meant bad things. Raven put her hand up.

"I am."

"Will you come with me?" asked the nurse. Raven looked at Jeff and smiled. He squeezed her hand before she left with the nurse. Some of the others caught the nurse telling Raven she was going to be prepped for a blood transfusion with Eugene.

"Now, Mr. and Mrs. Fitzherbert-"

"King," Mr. King corrected him. "We're Eugene's adoptive parents."

"Oh. Well, may I speak with the both of you in private?"

"We're just going to tell them what you told us," said Mrs. King. "Why not just tell us here."

"Please, just come with me." Mr. and Mrs. King did as they were asked and followed Dr. Bracket back around the corner. He addressed them sternly.

"At this point, his chances are fifty/fifty." Eugene's parent's hearts froze. "He's lost a lot of blood. If he is able to make it through surgery and reacts positively to his blood transfusion and makes it through the night, his chances will improve." The doctor paused. "If he does make it through-"

"He will."

"He will need further surgery. His left femur has been shattered by the bullet and his left shoulder has been severely damaged. The good news is that none of his organs were ruptured by the two gunshot wounds to his midsection. But like I said, if he makes it through the night, his chances will be better and all his other injuries will heal with little trouble."

"Eugene _will_ survive," Mrs. King stressed again. "He has too much to live for."

Dr. Bracket sighed. Family members always said that, and he really liked it when it was true.

He was about to inquire about his patient's medical history, when the operating room door opened. Another doctor popped his head out.

"Dr. Bracket, we need you in here."

Dr. Bracket turned to leave when Mrs. King grabbed his arm.

"If you don't want him to die in there, then tell him to not leave Rapunzel."

The name barely registered with Dr. Bracket.

"Tell him to not leave Rapunzel. Tell him."

"Kelly, we need you!"

"Tell him!" Mrs. King was almost desperate sounding.

"I will." He gently pulled Mrs. King's hand away. "I promise."

Dr. Bracket left the two parents to hopefully save their son.

In the operating room, Dr. Bracket was once again washed and dressed back in mask, apron, and gloves. He approached the operating table. Eugene lay there, washed out and faded in the bright white light of the operating room. A mask was over his mouth, pumping knock out gas into his lungs. Beside the table was a tray of medical tools. Most were used and bloody. In a Petri dish were two slugs.

"What's happening?"

"We're trying to get the other two bullets out. One went right though at his stomach. We already closed up the exit wound." The other surgeon drew Bracket's attention to Eugene's shoulder.

"What about the bullet in his leg."

"Right now, it's the one in his shoulder I'm concerned about. The one lodged in the femur is not near anything vital, but it is jammed pretty tight. However," he looked back to Eugene's shoulder, "this one is very deep in the bone and dangerously close to a main artery. We have to get it out, but we'll do damage ourselves."

"Let me see." Dr. Bracket took the medical instruments and inserted them into the wound. The skin there had already been cut length wise to allow for more room to work. Dr. Bracket could feel the bullet lodged in the bone as his tweezers scraped against it. "I need more room to work," he said. Another doctor came beside him with a scalpel and cut the other side of the wound. More blood oozed out; it was wiped away. Light was shined at the bullet hole and Dr. Bracket could just see the slug. He could also see how close the bullet was to the man's artery. Barely even a millimeter sat between the two.

_Just a little farther over and this man would have bled out in five minutes._

Dr. Bracket could see he needed to remove the projectile delicately. He called for a scalpel of his own to partially pry the bullet out.

The room filled suddenly with the echoes of insistent beeps and warning signals.

"BP is dropping and he's going into arrest." Just then, Eugene's heart monitor let out a long sharp beep. "He's flat lined!"

"We're losing him. Get the paddles!"

The other surgeons scrambled over Eugene. His chest was cleared of working hands and tools as a cart was wheeled over that had the defibrillator on it. The paddles were picked up and conduction gel squeezed onto it. The paddles were handed to Dr. Bracket. Another doctor pumped Eugene's chest.

"Clear!" Bracket put the paddles on the young man's chest. Zap! Eugene's body seized and relaxed in an instant. The surgeons looked at the monitor. No pulse. "Again." Once more, a doctor pressed down on Eugene's chest with balled up fists. "Clear!" Zap. His body tensed again as the Jules ran through his body. He went limp, just like before. Still no pulse.

At this rate, Eugene was going to die on that table.

"Come on, don't give up on me!" Dr. Bracket shouted. His mind raced to think of a sure fire way to save Eugene. He only had one idea, given to him by the man's mother. Dr. Bracket handed the paddles to another doctor and leaned down to Eugene's ear. "Now you listen to me, Eugene, you've got a lot of people out there praying you come out alive. And you've got Rapunzel. Think about Rapunzel. You can't leave Rapunzel behind. So, come on, fight! If you've got anything worth fighting for in this world, fight for Rapunzel." The other doctors exchanged confused glances. Dr. Bracket took the paddles back. "Clear!" Zap. Eugene's body convulsed for a third time. Every head turned to the monitor. There was still no heart beat. Every head bowed in defeat.

"Call time of death at-"

Beep.

Heads slowly rose.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Short spikes blotted the screen of the heart monitor. They crested at even beats.

"My god," breathed a surgeon, "he came back on his own."

"Alright, let's get those last two bullets out of him and get him ready for his blood transfusion." Dr. Bracket was handed a scalpel and large medical tweezers.

"Who's Rapunzel?" asked an associate. Dr. Bracket looked him straight in the eye.

"I have no idea."

Eugene's family and friends watched from a window as Raven was being hooked up to Eugene for a blood transfusion. Her mouth was moving at the nurse in the other room. Those on the outside who could read lips saw that the nurse told her to relax.

The nurse walked over to the door and opened it.

"You all can come in." She held the door open as everyone filed in. No one even noticed the door click as it closed. All eyes were focused on Eugene.

He was just so pale, whiter than the sheets lying across him. A breathing tube was inserted into his mouth, snaking down his throat to force his chest to rise and fall. His chest wasn't covered, so the bandages could breathe. His chest and left arm were wrapped in thick white gauze. A little bit of the binding around his stomach was visible just above the blanket that was covering his lower half. Underneath the blanket, his left leg was raised on a pillow. Cords and tubes were connected to Eugene at all places. On his left arm was an IV drip, on his right was a tube feeding Raven's blood into him.

Jeff went to his wife. He pulled a chair up and sat beside her.

"Hey," he said, cupping her face. She smiled back, but didn't say anything.

Mrs. King walked up to Eugene's left side. Her husband got a chair for her as everyone else found a spot in the private ICU room. She ran her fingers through his hair. She blinked back tears.

"The doctor said he flat-lined for almost four whole minutes. But he's here, right in front of me. You're alright now, aren't you, sweetie?" She sat down and took his hand.

No one really talked. Eyes stayed mostly on the floor. Words were mumbled back and forth here and there. Cups of half drunk coffee littered the room, because everyone kept letting old cups get cold.

In a corner, Pascal tried to hide how ill he felt. Being able to read other people's emotions really sucked at times. Everyone's distress and worry was magnified ten times in his own heart. He just kept his head in his hands. Max, however, noticed him.

"Pascal, you look a little faint. You alright?"

"Yeah, sure." He lifted his head. "I just need some water." But Pascal didn't move. He looked over at Eugene. "You know, he and I have this stupid little inside joke." Heads turned slightly to listen. "One of us says donut and the other says Berliner." Pascal took a breath. "Eugene, donut." Pascal wasn't expecting an answer, and he didn't get one. He stood. "He'll have to say Berliner when he wakes up." He left the room to let his own nerves take a break.

It was silent again, save for the steady beep of Eugene's heart monitor. The beeps were strangely comforting; it told them that Eugene was still alive, still fighting. And they hoped it stayed beeping and they all prayed that tomorrow would come without incident.

When Pascal came back, he looked even more upset.

"I just tried Rapunzel again. She still didn't answer." There was a collective release of worried breath. Where on earth could Rapunzel be? Why had she left? What was she doing?

On her bed, Raven, who had been unusually quiet, said what everyone was thinking.

"I hope Rapunzel is alright." Heads nodded in agreement.

Despite the silence among the assembled, no one noticed that Eugene's heart monitor skipped a beat.


	28. Chapter 28

_I could not believe it. After everything she'd said to me, after she told me she loved me, it was nothing more than a lie. I shouldn't have trusted her. I just should not have._

Chapter 28 – Realization: It's Bad Luck to Lie

An hour out on the road, Rapunzel had been lulled to sleep by the drone of the car engine. In the back seat, two suitcases were full of her clothes, toiletries and few good pairs of shoes. She had not packed any of her art supplies, save for her sketchbook and drawing pencils

She had horrible dreams during the drive. A voice was whispering terrible lies to her as she tried to cross a river full of tears. She'd startled awake many times, only to be cooed back to sleep by her aunt.

During the ride at daylight, Rapunzel still dozed. She found her nightmares to be better company in her mind than the thoughts about Eugene and Mrs. King. When she was awake, she did think about him and how she could not believe that he would ever betray her. She thought he loved her, but people could think a lot of things.

Rapunzel also fretted about how she was going to tell her aunt about Eugene's baby. She was already a month in; she would start showing soon. She had wanted to keep it because it was Eugene's, but now she wasn't sure she wanted anything that would remind her of him. But could she terminate the fetus?

Rapunzel's mind went back to the day she and Eugene saw their child on the sonogram. He'd been so happy. How could he have faked that so well?

She drifted back asleep, wanting to be tortured by lying nightmares rather than true facts.

Rapunzel was being gently shaken awake by her aunt. Her eyes opened and she saw it was evening.

"Rapunzel, we're stopping here for the night. It's a hotel." They got out and checked in.

Before they'd left New Sonnenberg, Donna had taken them by her house, so she could pack her things.

They took their luggage to their room. Donna opened the door.

"It's not much right now, but when we get far enough away from that life, we'll have a life worth living together, flower."

"Right." Rapunzel looked at her aunt. "You keep calling me 'flower.' Why?" Donna flushed a bit.

"It's what your mother called you. You probably don't remember, but when you were just a little thing, your mother's pet name for you was flower. I just recently remembered it when I found this photo." Donna reached into her purse and pulled a glossy, dog-eared print out. Rapunzel took it. Her voice caught. It was a picture of her in her mother's arms as a newborn. They were at the hospital. On either said of her mother was her father and Donna. "She was so happy when she had you, Rapunzel. She loved you so much, and your father loved her so much. That's why he couldn't live in this world without her. But they're both watching out for you in heaven. They're probably still mad at me for how I treated you, but I'll make it right." Donna stroked Rapunzel's face. "I promise." Donna picked up her purse. "I'm going to get us something to eat. Do you want to come?" Rapunzel shook her head. "Well, do you feel like anything?" All day, Rapunzel's stomach had been churning. She didn't feel like eating anything.

"Just pick whatever sounds good."

"Okay. I'll be back. I love you." Rapunzel couldn't quite manage an 'I love you' back. Donna seemed to understand. "You'll get there, flower." Donna opened the door and left.

Rapunzel fell back on a bed and cried into a pillow. Her wounds were still fresh and she was just barely holding herself together. After a good cry, Rapunzel sat up. She decided to pull her phone out, and when she did, she saw that it was off.

"Huh, Aunt Donna must have turned it off." She pressed the power button, but it had actually died. She fished out her power cord and plugged it in. Her phone sang to life and immediately buzzed with messages. She scrolled through her inbox, confused. There were twelve calls from Eugene, seven from Max, ten from Pascal, and eight from Raven. She could understand the calls from Eugene and Pascal, but Max and Raven. Rapunzel's finger itched to call at least Pascal, to know how everything had gone down, with her leaving, but she decided against it. She'd left that life behind. Pascal was still her best friend, but she was going to wait to talk to him again. She didn't need him coming to find her.

Rapunzel needed to get her mind off her horrible, life shattering thoughts. She saw the remote for the TV and clicked it on. It was pre-set to a news station. She was going to change the channel when the story caught her attention. It was a special report out of New Sonnenburg.

"A man was found shot yesterday evening in downtown New Sonnenburg," said the anchor woman, cocking her eyebrow to look shocked, but interested. "The victim has been identified as Eugene Fitzherbert." A picture of Eugene flashed across the screen. Rapunzel knew the photo; it was the one where he was standing beside Mr. Hook by the piano. The picture stayed up and another one, just of Eugene went by as the reporter went on.

"Fitzherbert is the foster son of Nicolas and Isabelle King of Corona Enterprises. He was found in Music's Dream Music Store where he worked." The footage changed to the store front. It was night and red and blue lights could be seen flashing off the glass. The footage showed Eugene on the gurney, being wheeled to the ambulance. Mr. Hook was beside him. His mouth was moving, but of course, there were no words. "He was shot twice in the stomach, once through the arm, once in the chest, and once in the leg. Police believe that Fitzherbert was targeted specifically, because nothing was taken from the store. Police also believe Fitzherbert knew his attacker, but so far, they have no suspects. Fitzherbert's parents' had this to say." The footage jumped again to the Kings. They were standing at a podium, like they were at a press conference. Mr. King was the one addressing the press, while Mrs. King hid herself behind her husband as she cried.

"'We are more than confidante that Eugene will come through this." They both stood stoic as they could in the flash of cameras and array of microphones. "That he will not leave us, because he knows he has too much to live for. But we want answers. We want to know why the man we love, why the boy we call our son, was shot five times. Why did his attacker find it necessary to maliciously hurt him in this manner?'" Mr. King paused to collect himself. He took his wife's hand. "'Though we cannot hate the person who did this, we want them to do what's right and turn themselves in.'"

The anchor woman came back, as solemn as she could be.

"Eugene Fitzherbert remains in critical condition. In related news, the fiancé of Eugene Fitzherbert is missing." A picture of Rapunzel came up. She was happy and smiling with Eugene beside her. It had been taken at the party their friends had thrown for them just a week earlier. "Friends say that Rapunzel Moore would have had no reason to leave. She and Fitzherbert just discovered that she was pregnant and both were ecstatic about the news. Police are not yet sure if she left on her own, but evidence suggests she might have been persuaded to leave, possibly by Fitzherbert's attacker. The Kings and police are asking that if anyone has seen her, to please contact them or the Tips-hotline. Well, Todd, how about that weather today?"

"Well, Jen, it's going to be-"

Rapunzel didn't let Todd the weather man finish. She turned the television off. She was breathing hard; the wind had just been knocked out of her for the second time in a twenty-four hour time span.

She picked up her phone and scrolled down to Max's number.


	29. Chapter 29

_Not seeing him, not feeling his touch, not knowing if he was even alright: I'd never been so scared in all my life. I was terrified because I thought I was never going to see him again. I was never going to be able to tell him I loved him ever again._

Chapter 29 – The Fury of Bad Luck

It had been a long night. Everyone must have had at least twelve cups of coffee each, but they were all worn out with worry.

Eugene's condition had not changed overnight. He was still in critical condition and still in the danger zone. He'd taken to Raven's blood, but he had required more blood later the afternoon of the next day when his bandages were changed. The medical staff was watching over him, monitoring even breath, every flutter of an eyelid. So were his family and friends.

While they thought about Eugene, they also thought about Rapunzel. Where could she be? Was she alright? She was not a suspect, but was still a person of interest to the police, obviously. The police weren't indicating anything, but it was suspicious that Eugene had been attacked and she was absent. She needed to be found, so she could be by Eugene's side when he woke up. She was his fiancé.

No one had moved from the night before, save for Raven who was now sitting by Jeff on a chair. She was still woozy from her blood transfusion; she was resting her head on his shoulder, her eyes closed. Isabelle was still sitting by Eugene, Nic right beside her. After their press conference that morning, they'd holed themselves up in the hospital room and asked to be left alone with their son. Mrs. King's eyes kept misting over and she would dab at them.

Mr. Hook couldn't go into work, not with his store taped off as a crime scene and Vlad wasn't budging down to his bar. Everyone else had called into to work, to say they had a medical emergency.

Max had left early in the morning to report to the police station. They'd given him the rest of the day off, considering how close he was to the case. He came back to the hospital in his uniform.

It was near silence in the room, so when Max's phone started singing The Andrew Sisters' _Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree_, they understandably all jumped.

"You have a 40's swing number as your ringtone?" Pascal asked.

"Eugene put it on here," Max said as he dug his phone out of his pocket. "He's the only one who knows how to work this damn thing." Max wondered who could possibly be calling him. Surely not the station. He looked at the ID and gasped. He scrambled to answer, nearly dropping the phone in his hast. "Rapunzel?" Everybody leaned to him. He put his finger to his lips for them to be quite.

Not a soul in the room noticed that Eugene's heart monitor skipped a beat.

"Rapunzel," he said again.

"Max?"

Max sighed.

"Oh, God, Rapunzel, where are you? Please, please tell me you're alright."

"I'm fine, but I don't know where I am. Some hotel. Max, I just saw the news report. Eugene, he-" Max cut her off as he glanced at his best friend.

"Hey, hey, it's going to be okay. Eugene is going to be fine. Are you with someone?" She took a breath.

"Aunt Donna. Max, she showed me these pictures. I was confused. Max, I'm so sorry." She started to cry.

"Rapunzel, it's okay. It's not your fault. We saw the photos too. No one blames you." He was trying to keep her calm, but he needed to know where she was. "Do you know if you crossed any state lines?"

"I don't know," Rapunzel sniffed. "We've been traveling north. We've been driving since last night. Max, I think my aunt shot Eugene."

"Rapunzel, don't even think about that right now. Worry about yourself, okay?"

"Max, I'm scared."

"I know."

"No, I'm scared for Eugene."

"Eugene is going to be fine, Rapunzel." Max tried to laugh off her worry. "But you need to keep yourself safe, okay? Keep you and the baby safe. Don't let your aunt know you know what happened. I want you to hide this phone, but don't hang up, okay? We'll use GPS to track where you are, okay? Don't do anything. We'll come get you, okay?"

"Okay."

On the other line, Max heard a door open and Rapunzel gasp. Max heard a second voice.

"Rapunzel, who are you calling?" Max assumed that the deep, sultry voice was Rapunzel's aunt. He heard a struggle on the other end.

"No!" Rapunzel shrieked.

"You goddamn, fucking little bitch!" Max heard Rapunzel scream again and the phone went dead. He stood, panicked.

"Rapunzel! Rapunzel!" He looked up at everyone. They were staring expectantly.

"Max," asked Raven, "what happened, where's Rapunzel?"

He swallowed a lump in his throat.

"Rapunzel's been kidnapped by her aunt. I need to get to the police station. Call me if Eugene's condition changes." Max ran out of the ICU as he dialed the station to relay the new information.

Just as the door closed as he left, Eugene's heart monitor sounded that he was in distress. They all looked at the screen. The peaks were irregular and sporadic. Doctors and nurses filed in and had them all leave. Outside the room, Eugene's loved ones watched as he started to have seizure like contractions on his bed. A nurse closed the blinds on the window.

Mrs. King put her hand to it, blinking back tears.

"He's as worried about Rapunzel as we are."

No one argued her statement.


	30. Chapter 30

_She could have killed me._

Chapter 30 – Luck is the Best Friend of Your Knight in Bullet Proof Armor

Donna Gothel sat on the edge of the bed with the news on.

"Friends of Rapunzel Moore have confirmed that she was kidnapped by her aunt, Donna Gothel." An old mug shot of Donna came on screen for when she'd been picked up for public intoxication. "Moore managed to call police early yesterday evening and explain what had happened to her. However, she could not give her location. Police do believe Moore is in danger. Again, her location is not yet known, but police are searching for Gothel's car. It is a red Ford Fusion with the license plate-" Donna turned the news off and looked back at Rapunzel.

She'd tied her niece up to the bed and gagged her so she couldn't scream. Donna glowered at Rapunzel, all the signs of love and affection she'd been showing earlier, void from her ice blue eyes.

"Fucking little bitch. You wanted me to be the bad guy, fine, now I'm the bad guy. I knew you would give me trouble some day. I should have put you in foster care a long time ago." Donna stood. "Not that it's any business for yours, but I'm leaving to get a drink and cigarettes." Donna stood and walked out of the room.

Rapunzel couldn't believe how stupid she had been. She actually believed her aunt over Eugene, Eugene, a person who had never given her any reason to ever doubt him. And now, both he and she were paying for her mistake.

Rapunzel couldn't let that stop her though; she needed to get back to Eugene's side.

Donna had taken Rapunzel's phone away, but she foolishly left it at the end of the bed. Rapunzel stretched her legs to reach it. Her big toe just barely brushed it.

_Come on_, she thought. She turned on her side and found she got more distance. She managed to slip the phone between her toes. _Yes!_ She brought it up and dropped it between her legs. Donna didn't know how flexible Rapunzel could be. Using her toe again, Rapunzel slid to unlock her phone and said a prayer of thanks that the touch screen accepted the body heat of her foot. Sweating, Rapunzel tapped the contacts square. It opened; now was the tricky part. Scrolling though the names in her phone was not easy, especially when she kept passing Max's name. Rapunzel was drenched now with her efforts and fear that her aunt would be back anytime. Finally, Max Mustain was on the screen and Rapunzel tapped her toe on his name. She saw the green call button and tapped that too.

As the phone called, Rapunzel realized how even more difficult this would have been if she still had her old flip phone. She told herself to thank Eugene for the rest of her life for buying her a smart phone. If she ever saw him again.

She told herself she would see him again.

Max paced nervously by the squad cars. He had insisted he be put on the search for Rapunzel. He told Chief Gainey that he had to for the sake of his best friend. Him, the chief, and many other officers were outside a town called Porter, approximately 1600 miles outside of New Sonnenburg. A cell tower in the area had binged Rapunzel's number at the time she called Max.

Max dared not call Rapunzel again, for fear her aunt would harm her. Again. Max was sure she'd assaulted Rapunzel when he heard their struggle on the phone.

He really wished they could do something, but no new information had surfaced. They weren't even sure if Donna Gothel had fled the scene or taken Rapunzel with her. God forbid, they didn't even know if Rapunzel Moore was still alive.

Max walked up to his chief, who was conversing on the scanner. Max listened in.

"We've checked out all locations in this town, chief." There were three other towns like Porter that used the same cell tower. Chief Gainey had sent offices to all of them.

"Well search again. We are bringing this woman home." Chief Gainey noticed Max. "How are you holding up, Mustain?"

"I've been better, sir."

"I understand. It's not easy when someone you know has been hurt. I've seen my share of that. God knows I've been at odds with that Fitzherbert in the past, but you don't wish things like this on anyone." The chief paused. He put a hand on Max's shoulder. "I know how close you are to him."

"Yes, sir."

There was a crackle as a voice came from the scanner.

"Sir?" Chief Gainey clicked it on.

"Yes, what have you got?"

"A woman matching Gothel's description was seen in a red Ford fusion in Porter."

"How sure are you of the identification?"

"We're tailing her, sir, and we're very sure."

Max's phone rang, or rather, sang.

"_Don't sit under the apple tree, with anyone else but me, anyone else but me, anyone else but me. No, no, no, no._" Max cursed and pulled his phone out.

"When Eugene wakes up I'm making him change this." He saw it was Rapunzel calling. "I've got her! She's calling me." Chief Gainey nodded to a man in a van that had tracking equipment. The man nodded back; he was ready to lock onto the signal. Max hit accept and put the phone to his ear. "Rapunzel?" There was no answer, only a rustle. "Rapunzel?" Max looked at his commanding officer. "She's not answering, but this is definitely her number."

"She may not be able to answer."

"I've got a hit!" called the officer in the van. Max and Gainey walked up to the van and looked at the screen. "It's coming from this building." He zoomed in on the coordinates and clicked for information on the location. It was a building called Happy Stay Hotel.

Back over at a squad car, the scanner bleeped. Gainey crossed back to it.

"What have you got?"

"Gothel has just entered Happy Stay Hotel in Porter. How do we proceed?"

"Do not approach, repeat, do not approach. She has a hostage and a gun. We do not want to scare her. Secure the area and wait for back up. We'll be there in five minutes." He turned to his officers. "Alright, let's move out. The perp is at Happy Stay Hotel. Mustain, you're with me."

They got in their cars.

"Mustain," said Chief Gainey as Max buckled in.

"Sir?"

"Don't try and be a hero in there for her. I know she's your best friend's fiancé, but we don't need you shot up too."

"Oh, don't worry about me, sir."

Like hell Max wasn't going to help Rapunzel. Chief Gainey had said it himself; she was the fiancé of his best friend. That made her his best friend too.

Donna had already popped open a beer in the car after she bought a six pack and had downed it. She lit up and drove back to the hotel. She wondered what she was going to do with Rapunzel. Her niece had still decided to be unreasonable with her. They could have been happy together, but the little bitch just had to be selfish.

She got to the hotel and went in. She strolled the hall to her room, swinging the plastic bag of beer. She was just so pissed at Rapunzel, but maybe they could work through it. Donna opened the door with her keycard.

She saw Rapunzel still on the bed, but her cell was down at her legs and the screen was lit. Donna realized instantly what her niece had done. She dropped the bag of beer cans and rushed at Rapunzel.

"You damn little bitch!" Donna got on top of Rapunzel and slapped her across the face. She back lashed her too, her rings scoring Rapunzel's face. Donna balled up her fists and pounded on Rapunzel.

Rapunzel screamed through her gag, praying someone was going to hear her and rescue her. She tried to twist away from her aunt's blows, but her restrains held her firm. Her wrists howled in searing pain as she tugged at the bonds.

Rapunzel managed to scoot up from her aunt, but Donna's next blow landed right on Rapunzel's stomach. She stopped her struggling. All the air was gone from her lungs, but she couldn't think about breathing.

_My baby! My baby! She's hurt my baby._

Rapunzel couldn't get enough air through her gag and her eyesight dimmed. She still felt the pain of Donna's hits, but she just didn't care anymore. The darkness would be comforting.

There was a crash from the door of the hotel room as police officers in S.W.A.T. gear filed in, guns trained on Donna. She leapt off the bed in hopes of getting away, but they tackled her to the ground.

"Donna Gothel, you're under arrest for the attempted murder of Eugene Fitzherbert and the kidnapping of Rapunzel Moore. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law."

Rapunzel's head rolled on her shoulders as she took in the scene.

Max stepped into the room in a bullet proof vest. He went straight to her and pulled her gag off.

"Hey, Rapunzel," he said, cupping her face. "You're okay now, I've got you."

"Max…"

"Shush, I've got you." Max took out a knife and cut the ties around her wrists. He inhaled sharply when he saw how purple and swollen her wrists were turning. Her face and exposed parts of her chest were becoming much the same color. Max scooped her into his arms and carried her out.

"Max…" Rapunzel moaned again.

"Shush, don't talk, okay?"

"Max, Eugene, I want Eugene."

"We're taking you to him, okay?" Max squeezed her shoulders and kissed her forehead.

They got outside to where the paramedics were. The light of day hurt Rapunzel's eyes and she shut them. Max set her down on a gurney as the paramedics moved to work on her. She saw one of them filling a syringe. Her senses suddenly kicked in. She clutched Max's arm.

"Max, don't let them give me anything that'll hurt the baby, please." The words rushed out in babble. "I'm pregnant; don't let them hurt the baby. Please, I'm pregnant." Max tried to pry her fingers off.

"They're not giving you anything that'll hurt the baby, okay? It's saline." One paramedic smiled down at her.

"Hey, we're not going to hurt anyone, alright? Now I'm Roy, that's my partner Johnny, and we're going to take good care of you, alright?"

"I'm pregnant."

"Yes, we know. Do you want to tell us your name?"

"Rapunzel." She was so frantic and the question was so stupid. They didn't understand that she was pregnant.

"Okay, Rapunzel, your friend is right, this is saline, and I'm going to inject it into you, alright? And then we're taking you to the hospital."

"St. Augustine's?"

"No, Blue Haven."

"No!" Rapunzel tried to sit up and was pushed back down by Max, Roy, and Johnny. "I want to go to St. Augustine's! I want to be with Eugene!"

"Blue Haven is closer, now, please, calm down."

Johnny addressed Roy.

"We're going to have sedate her. Her BP and heart rate are too high."

"No! No!"

"Rapunzel." Max took her face in both his hands. "Rapunzel, listen to me, they're doing this for your own good." Out of the corner of her eye, Rapunzel saw the breathing mask. "Now you're going to Blue Haven so they can treat you and then you're being transported to St. Augustine's in New Sonnenburg."

"Eugene…"

"Will be there and he'll be fine, okay."

The mask came down over her mouth. Rapunzel looked pleadingly at Max.

"You promise?"

"Of course I promise."

"You promise…" Rapunzel repeated. Her head filled with woozy and befuddling thoughts. "Max… don't let…pregnant…" Her eyes closed on Max as he said something to her and she faded into a dark sleep.


	31. Chapter 31

_God proved to me he existed when he sent Eugene to me, but was he listening?_

Chapter 31 – Prayer to Luck

Rapunzel's mind swam with nonsense images of life. Ceilings ran and people with no faces spoke slowly and stupidly to her. Pain and relief coursed through her at the same time and left her feeling anxious. There was jostling that magnified her aches. Echoing murmurs asked her if she heard their voices. Little lights were shined in her eyes and she turned away from them. She couldn't move her hands and her arms were sore. Where was she? What was happening? Beeps and hurried voices, the same ones asking if she heard them, called for things and slowly, Rapunzel slipped back into a nothingness that made no more sense than running ceilings.

Rapunzel's head pounded. Her neck was stiff and sore and her shoulders ached, like she'd fallen asleep on them funny and now they were full of kinks. Her eyes blinked open and she found her lids hurt too, but from un-use. She scrunched her face at the light and her muscles protested greatly. She relaxed her face and just dealt with the light until her eyes adjusted. She saw she was in a hospital room. She could tell because everything was white and smelled like bleach. She could also tell from all the vases and bouquets of bright, cheerful flowers that lined the hospital room. Rapunzel could hardly believe they were all for her.

Wait, for her? Rapunzel was in the hospital! Had she given birth and didn't remember? Wait, that couldn't have been possible; she knew it couldn't have possibly been nine months yet. She thought through the muddled state of her mind. Her aunt had found her and convinced her that Eugene didn't love her, but that wasn't true. But why? She went with her aunt and… Rapunzel's head hurt too much. Where was Eugene? She wanted Eugene.

It sounded like Darth Vader was in her room, as was a robot. She looked to her left and saw an IV drip, a heart monitor, and a breathing machine. All were connected to her at some point of her body.

Rapunzel didn't like how she was lying on the bed. She wanted to sit up. She put her palms flat on the mattress and pushed against them, but her wrists cried out in a searing ache. She collapsed back down and brought her hands up to look at. Both of her wrists were in straight braces that kept her from utilizing their movement. She didn't understand why.

"Rapunzel?"

She looked to her right. Pascal was sitting in a chair with a book on his chest. He looked like he'd just woken up himself. "Oh, my God, Rapunzel!" He jumped to his feet, his book flapping to the floor, and wrapped his arms around her. Rapunzel patted his back.

"Pascal… what happened?" He pulled away and cocked an eyebrow at her. His hair was a faded blue, like he hadn't re-dyed it in a few weeks and he was wearing his glasses too, for once.

"You… don't remember?"

"I… I remember my aunt coming by the apartment. She…mm." Rapunzel's head still pounded. Pascal gave her a glass of water.

"Just relax, okay. You're safe now."

"But what happened?"

Pascal pulled a seat close and took one of Rapunzel's braced hands.

"You….got kidnapped by your aunt."

"No, I went with her because…" Because why?

"At first, because she showed you pictures. Pictures of Eugene and… his mother." Rapunzel closed her eyes and thought. Yes, there were pictures, but of what?

"Eugene and Mrs. King?" Rapunzel's voice croaked. How long had she been asleep? Her throat hurt from the dryness. She took a drink of her water. It didn't help.

"Yes, to put it nicely, they were…kissing in a way that…mother and son should not. But they were fakes."

Rapunzel thought. Yes, there was something; Eugene holding Mrs. King in a tight embrace.

Rapunzel's eyes snapped open. She sat up, making her head spin by the sudden movement.

"Oh, my God, Eugene!" The memories flooded in. They flashed like evil fireflies, blinking and reminding her of the horrible lies her aunt had told and of Eugene being injured by her.

Pascal put his hand firmly on Rapunzel's shoulders. He was stronger than he looked.

"Rapunzel, stop it! You can't see Eugene right now."

She stopped, her heart sinking.

"What?" She thought the worse.

"No one can." Pascal sat back down.

"Why?"

"It's been, uh…it's been almost a week since Eugene got…and you were…gone." Rapunzel was sure she didn't hear Pascal right.

"What?"

"Last Thursday was the fifth of August. It's the eleventh." Rapunzel's mouth hung open. She'd lost a whole week? "Anyway," Pascal continued, "Eugene is… indisposed right now, because they're running tests, because he hasn't woken up. They're concerned that something…internal is wrong. He's healing, they say, he just hasn't woken up."

Rapunzel couldn't believe Pascal.

"No…no." Tears rolled out of the corners of her eyes. Pascal got up and sat down beside her on the bed. Once again, he held her. "This is all my fault."

"No, it's not, Rapunzel."

"Yes, it is! If I'd never met Eugene, none of this ever would have happened!" Her crying was making her shrieky. Pascal willed his ears to take the abuse. "Yes, it is," she repeated, quieter. She remembered that Pascal had sensitive ears. "I'm the reason Eugene is fighting for his life right now. Everything is my fault." She sniffed. "I even lost the baby."

Pascal looked squarely at her, confused.

"What makes you think you lost the baby?"

"She hit me… right where…"

"Rapunzel," Pascal took her face in his hands, "the baby is fine."

"What?"

"You know, you've used that word five times in the last six minutes. I'm telling you the truth. There was absolutely no damage to the fetus. You're fine, the baby is fine, and Eugene is going to be fine too." Pascal leaned forward and kissed Rapunzel on her hairline. He nestled her back in her pillows and took his seat again.

Rapunzel put a hand over her stomach.

"I'm still…pregnant?"

"Yes. The doctor even said you'll be hearing a heart beat in a few weeks."

Too many things were happening all at once for Rapunzel to fully comprehend anything. She just decided to stop thinking, but that only made her think.

"I was…with my aunt for three days, I remember that, but…what happened with the other three days?"

"Oh, well…" Pascal scratched his head. "After the police found you and you were getting treatment, they had to keep you heavily sedated, because every time you weren't, you were hysterical. You were causing harm to yourself." Pascal paused. "At least, that's what they told us. You kept wanting to run to Eugene." Rapunzel's eyes glazed over with tears and she tried to hide them from her best friend. She looked down at her hands.

"What's with these?" She held up the braces.

"You pulled so hard at your, uh, restraints that you dislocated both of your wrists. It's not like you broke them so you'll be able to draw and paint and all that stuff again."

"My face hurts," Rapunzel said.

"Yeah, that's because it's a mess." Pascal got up and went into the bathroom. He came back with a hand mirror. He handed it to Rapunzel and she looked at herself. Her jaw dropped again.

She did look horrible, frighteningly horrible. A thick ring of purple bruising sat around her left eye, seeping down to color her swollen nose yellow and red. A puss yellow bruise ran down the length of her jaw and her cheeks had angry, criss-crossing gashes that were being held together by bandages. Little white specks sat like stars all along the swollen colored skin. It was odd, but Rapunzel could find the hues of her beating pretty; if only they were on a canvas and not her face.

She brought a hand up and gingerly brushed a finger down her face.

"Mt aunt did this to me?"

"Yeah. When we finally saw you for the first time, we barely recognized you. We all thought that Mrs. King was going to go down to the station and beat your aunt up. She was pissed."

"She was?"

"Oh, yeah. She kept screaming about how anyone could harm a child, especially one as pretty as you." One tear broke free and Rapunzel wiped it away.

"Where is everyone else?"

"Well, the Kings had to give another press conference; the media was calling for their comments. Raven had to go back to work, Jeff back to marriage counseling. Mr. Hook and Vlad have been back and forth between you and Eugene, but I think they went to get something to eat."

"What about Max?"

"Down at the station. Everyone said they'd be back around four. That's when Eugene's tests are supposedly supposed to be done."

Rapunzel looked back down at her hands. She'd missed an entire week of being with Eugene and her friends. Time had stopped for her, and probably for them too, even though they had to carry on with their lives.

Pascal took one of her hands again.

"Everyone is going to be so happy that you're finally awake. Raven and Mrs. King have hardly left your side." He squeezed her fingers. "I haven't even left this room since you got here." He smiled at her. Rapunzel tried to smile back, but her face wouldn't allow those muscles to move.

Just then, the door opened and a garble of quiet voices seeped in. Mrs. King, Mr. King, Raven, Jeff, Vlad, Mr. Hook, and Max all walked in. They had cups of coffee and to-go bags from fast food places. Pascal and Rapunzel stared at them as they came in.

Mrs. King dropped her Styrofoam cup and the contents splashed against the linoleum floor. She didn't care that dark stains blotted her designer shoes. She ran to Rapunzel and flung her arms around her.

"RAPUNZEL!" A few tears choked back her voice. "We were… we were so worried about you!"

"Oh, Rapunzel, it's so great to see proper color back in your cheeks."

"Sweetie," said Raven coming up. Mrs. King released her just long enough for Raven to get a quick hug in.

"How are you feeling?" asked Mr. Hook.

"Guys, don't swarm her." Max pushed everyone back a bit. "She probably just woke up."

Rapunzel's senses were over stimulated by the presence of everyone. All of them, looking at her, smiling, so glad to see her, she just couldn't handle it. She gripped Mrs. King's shirt and howled into her chest. Isabelle stroked her hair and kissed her behind the ear.

"Shush, shush, it's alright, sweetie. It's alright. You're safe now."

Everyone shuffled into a seat to let Rapunzel cry.

"I don't care that I'm safe, I care about Eugene!" she hiccupped.

"I know, I know. We're worried about him too. But, hey, he'll come out of this. He has too much to live for. He has you."

"But it's all my fault, because I met Eugene. I never should have met Eugene."

"Rapunzel, don't say things you don't mean. Eugene loves you."

"But I never wanted something like this happen."

"No one means for things to happen."

Please," Rapunzel begged, "please, someone blame me for all this."

"Will that make everything better?" Rapunzel didn't answer Mrs. King. "No one will ever blame you for this, not even Eugene. As soon as he opens his eyes and sees you, everything will be alright again." Mrs. King kissed Rapunzel again.

"But it's my fault," she whispered.

"No, it isn't," Mrs. King whispered back. "We all love you."

Rapunzel hiccupped again as she gulped air.

"I lu-uh-ve yo-oo too."

"Shush, shush. You're safe here in my arms, alright?" Rapunzel nodded her head and tried to stifle her sobs.

Eventually, her eyes dried up and her headache was much worse. Mrs. King squeezed her shoulders.

"All better?" Rapunzel sniffed and nodded. Mrs. King did not get up from the bed; instead, she looked down at Rapunzel's red face and dabbed the last tear away. "Sometimes it's good to have a cry, yeah? Wash all the negative feelings out." Mrs. King tucked a strand of hair behind Rapunzel's ear and pulled her back to the pillows, where she still held her safe and secure.

How was she managing, Rapunzel asked herself. Mrs. King's son had been shot and after six days he still had not woken up. How was she not all to pieces like Rapunzel was? But as Eugene's mother held her, Rapunzel could feel that her arms trembled.

Rapunzel felt silly for crying. She needed to be strong, for Eugene when he woke up.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Mrs. King reached into her pocket and pulled out Rapunzel's engagement ring. "I'm sure you want this back." She handed it to Rapunzel, who took it, biting back more tears.

"Thank you," she whispered. Rapunzel put her ring back on, grateful to have it on her finger again. She never should have taken it off. "How's," her voice was small and raspy. She cleared it. "How's Eugene?" she finally managed after her fit in Mrs. King's arms.

"We haven't heard yet," said Mr. King.

The awkwardness in the room was blatantly apparent. Now Rapunzel felt stupid on top of her silliness.

"Eugene has always done this," Mrs. King said. Everyone looked at her. "You remember, darling, when he would get into some fight, he'd sleep it off. I think the doctors are being a little ridiculous, being so concerned. I remember one time; I couldn't wake Eugene up for school after this huge fight he'd had with those nasty brothers."

Max chuckled.

"I remember that too. He was so late to homeroom. He snuck in through the open window and would have gotten away with it too, if I hadn't called him out."

"Was this before or after you two became friends," asked Pascal.

"After. I warned him: no funny business and I meant it."

A light laugh went around the room.

The door to the hospital room opened and a tall man in a white coat with black hair walked in. A blonde nurse was following him.

"I thought I'd find you all in here." He saw Rapunzel. "Ah, I see our other wayward patient is awake." The nurse walked over to her to check her out. Mrs. King got off the bed.

"Is Eugene-?" she started. The doctor sighed, shaking his head.

"I'm afraid not."

The assembled were painfully unsurprised. Dr. Bracket addressed the folder he had in his hands.

"Mr. and Mrs. King, if you'll come with me-"

"Dr. Bracket, we've been through this," said Mrs. King sternly. "If you have anything to say to us, say it in front of everyone."

Dr. Bracket looked at the nurse for help. She only shrugged.

"Humor them, Kel."

Dr. Bracket sighed.

"Apart from the fact that Eugene was shot, he's fine." There was a collective feeling of relief. "We could find no reason as to why he hasn't woken up yet. There aren't any infections, no internal bleeding. His senses are responsive. He's even out of critical condition. We've moved him out of the ICU." Dr. Bracket handed Mrs. King a piece of paper. "That's his new room number. It's a mystery as to why his eyes haven't opened, but if he keeps down this road, he'll be healed in no time. He just needs to wake up." The doctor looked at Rapunzel. "Now then, young lady, how do you feel?"

Rapunzel thought.

"I hurt."

"Where?"

"My face."

"Yes." The doctor walked up to her bed. "We would have given you pain killers, but that one over there," he indicated a finger over at Max, "insisted that you did not want anything that would harm your baby. Would you like something now?"

"An ice pack."

"We can get that for you," the nurse said, smiling.

"I think I also want to take a shower." Rapunzel had realized how vulgar she smelled. If she remembered it properly, her last shower was two days before all this happened.

"I can help with that." The nurse turned to the others. "Alright, time to get out. Go and visit Eugene. He could use some company."

Everyone gathered up their things and said good-bye to Rapunzel. Raven, Pascal, and Max all gave her a hug before leaving. Mrs. King stayed back and took Rapunzel's hands.

"Rapunzel, I want you to know something." She sounded very serious. "Eugene actually flat-lined during surgery, but you know what brought him back?" Rapunzel shook her head. "Hearing your name. That doctor will confirm it." Mrs. King stooped and kissed Rapunzel's cheek. "I'll see you later, sweetie." Isabelle let go of Rapunzel's hands and exited, but she left something in her hand. Rapunzel looked down at it. It was a piece of paper with numbers on it.

"Alright, let's get you looked at before we let you up." Dr. Bracket and the nurse helped Rapunzel sit up straight. The doctor put a flashlight to her eyes. The nurse took her blood pressure. They analyzed the heart monitor and saw she was still under anxiety, but they understood the reason.

Dr. Bracket took the wrist braces off and inspected the swelling.

"It's gone down some. Dix," he said to the nurse, "make a note to ice this later." Bracket gently bent Rapunzel's wrist. She winced. "It's sore still, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Well, we'll leave the braces off for a bit, while you bathe, that way the injury can circulate and breathe." The doctor finished his examination. "You seem to be healing too."

"What about my baby? Pascal said I didn't miscarry, but she hit me in my stomach." The doctor pointed to where her diaphragm was.

"There's slight bruising there. You're uterus is there." He indicated lower. "Your attacker didn't even come close to harming the fetus." Dr. Bracket patted her shoulder. "Now, do you need help standing, or do you think you and Dixie can manage."

"I think I can mange."

"Alright. Don't push yourself too much. You've come under a lot of stress in the last few days and that's the last thing you and junior need." Dr. Bracket smiled and left

"Well, honey, shall we get you in the shower? Let's get you out of this mess." The nurse took off the air tubes and the IV drip and everything else. She pulled the covers back and offered her hands to Rapunzel to help her up. It hurt to use her wrists, but Rapunzel ground her teeth through it. When she finally got on her feet, she almost fell on the nurse. Her knees wobbled unsteadily from dis-use. She was led to the room's bathroom. The nurse helped her to remove the robe and Rapunzel flushed when she realized she was topless underneath. The nurse asked her if she could manage taking a shower by herself.

"Yes."

"Alright. I'll get you fresh clothes and change your bedding." The nurse pulled a curtain back and sealed Rapunzel in privacy.

Rapunzel recalled the time when she stayed at Eugene's apartment for the first time, when he'd let her take a shower. Her hair was longer and blonde and she wanted to be as far away from him as possible. Now it was the complete opposite. Rapunzel could hardly believe how her life had turned.

One thing that had not changed since she first met Eugene was that Rapunzel liked hot showers. The heated water washed not only the week's worth of grim away, but also the soreness she felt deep in her tissue. If only showers could really wash away all problems.

She turned the water off and stepped out. She looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't know why, but she thought that maybe her bruises and cuts were makeup and that the water would make them go away. But she still had a black eye, still had the gashes, and Dr. Bracket was correct; there was a bruise just under her bust line where her diaphragm was.

She'd missed a week of life, so that made her five weeks pregnant. She turned to her side, just to see if she was any bigger. Maybe she was, maybe she wasn't. Her breasts didn't look any different. Still small, but Eugene had told her once he liked that about her; every part of her could fit in his hand.

God, everything reminded her of him. She wanted to see him so bad.

Rapunzel looked at the piece of paper she'd left on the counter. The little slip that Mrs. King had left with her had three numbers on it: 612.

Rapunzel knew that that was where Eugene was.

The nurse came back, helped her dress and got her back into bed.

"I know you probably think you've slept enough, but you do need your rest right now." Dixie tucked her in, drew the curtain on the windows, turned the lights out, and like everyone else, left.

Rapunzel was now alone in semi-darkness. No, she wasn't alone. Rapunzel curled up and placed a protective hand on her tummy.

"Eugene…" She somehow managed to fall asleep again, but this time, her dreams made sense.

Rapunzel waited until after a dinner had been given to her to look for room 612. Pascal and the others had not come back to visit her and it was quite late. Ten forty five. Rapunzel was sure they all had gone home for the night, just so she could sneak around the hospital to find Eugene.

Rapunzel was on floor one in room 113, so room 612 was on floor six. She didn't want to chance being spotted on the elevators so she took the stairs instead. She crept out of the stairwell to an almost empty floor. She looked at the room numbers: room 650 was on her left, 649 on her right. Eugene would be towards the end of the hall on the left.

Not many people gave her much of a second glance. For all they knew, she was under doctor's orders to take a stroll. Her wrists were re-braced and fresh band-aids were on face. She knew she looked horrible, and really didn't want Eugene to see her like that, but she wanted to be beside him and to be there when he woke up; whenever he woke up.

She reached room 612. It was a private room and a name plate said 'Eugene Fitzherbert.' Rapunzel took a breath and turned the door knob.

It was dark inside; save for the flickering screens that told Eugene was still alive. Darth Vader was in this room too, but he sounded harsher. A breathing mask enclosed Eugene's mouth and steamed with every breath. There was the slow _boop, boop, boop_ of the heart monitor. Rapunzel could just hear the splish of the IV drip.

Eugene was not his usual color. He had this toned skin that was just sun kissed, boarder line tan; now, he was completely washed out. Even his lips were pale.

As Rapunzel tiptoed up to him, she noticed he wasn't wearing a hospital gown. His chest was completely exposed. A strained note came from her throat as she beheld his injuries.

His shoulder was tied up and the wrappings ran the length of his forearm. The thick white gauze around his midsection was visible, and tightened with every intake he took of breath.

This was not her Eugene, wounded and supported by machines. Her Eugene was smiling and full of life, even when he slept. His touch was warm, even hot and his smolder could melt her.

Rapunzel dragged a chair to the right side of the bed. She noticed that it was his left side that had been assaulted the most. That stood to reason; Donna Gothel was right handed.

As she sat, Rapunzel saw all his scars, his old battle wounds of his past life. She took his hand and even that had its fair share of little white flecks of past pain. She flattened his palm against her cheek and stroked his face with her finger. She tried her best to not cry.

"I'm so sorry, Eugene. I know you'll tell me this isn't my fault, but it is. If I hadn't stopped in the street that day, you wouldn't be here right now." Her voice cracked with a pained chuckle. "I really do put you in here a lot, don't I? The car, the Stabbington brothers, the frying pan. Now this. How… how could all that happen to one person?" Tears fell. "Why do you have to endure so much just to live?"

Rapunzel put Eugene's hand down and crawled on the bed with him. She snuggled up to his chest, resting her head as far away from his left shoulder as she could and draped his arm over her shoulder.

"Please, if I have any luck in this world, please use it all to save him. Bring him back to me." Rapunzel closed her eyes.

When she was little and sick, her mother sang her a song. Her mother told her it was magic, that it would heal anything. It was the only prayer she had left.

"Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt. Change the Fate's design. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine. What once was mine." Rapunzel's eyes parted slightly, but drooped again. She was sleepy. She knew she would be shooed out by a doctor, but she wanted to stay in Eugene's arms for just a little longer.

Eugene's arms tightened around her. Her eyes snapped open. She sat up and looked down at Eugene. His eyes were flickering open. She dared to hope.

"Eugene?"

He saw her. He smiled.

Eugene's arm came up and he pulled the breathing mask off. His mouth opened, but no words came out. He tried again and barely managed a whisper.

"I ever tell you I like your smile," he strained to get out.

Tears attempted to break free, but Rapunzel's happiness wasn't going to allow that. She took his face in her hands and kissed her fiancé.


	32. Chapter 32

_And we're living happily ever after._

Chapter 32 – Lucky like a Fairytale

The following week was a blur of get well flowers, hugs, kisses, and lots and lots of tears. By the end of it, Rapunzel was healed enough to go home. Eugene, on the other hand, still had two weeks of surgery and physical therapy.

"This sucks!" he whined on the day Rapunzel was going home. "I've got to have five surgeries to fix my damn shoulder. And I don't even want to mention how many on my leg."

"You get shot five times, survive, and then you complain about the surgeries?" Max asked incredulously.

"Yes."

Everyone laughed. He might still have been wrapped up and confined to his bed, but Eugene was alive and well.

They were having a celebration in Eugene's private hospital room. Vlad had snuck some booze in and everyone had a little shot glass, except for Rapunzel. They cheered and drank. It was so good to be carefree again.

Rapunzel was sitting with her legs crossed on Eugene's bed, his good arm wrapped around her middle. Her hands held his. Her wrists were no longer in the braces. Instead, bandage wraps were around them. They were still sore, but she'd been given strengthening exercises to do every day.

Pascal was eyeing how Eugene was holding Rapunzel.

"You know, Eugene, if you hold Rapunzel any tighter, you're going to snap her in half."

He drew her closer.

"Well, I'm not letting go of my family, if that's what you're intending for me to do." Eugene pecked Rapunzel on the cheek.

The door to the room opened. Chief Gainey walked in. Out of habit, Max stood at attention, even though he wasn't in uniform.

"At ease, Mustain," the chief said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, if it isn't Officer Gainey," Eugene said snidely, grinning. "Have you come to arrest me again?"

"Well, it's heartening to know that your cheekiness hasn't been damaged," the chief replied dryly. "And I've made police chief since I last arrested you for petty theft. Oh, wait, it was grand theft auto, wasn't it?"

"Those chargers were dropped. And I do believe I heard about your promotion. Bang up job on your last case, by the way. I highly approve."

The chief sneered at Eugene.

"I'm actually here to tell you all that Donna Gothel is being held over for trial without bail. The state is charging her with aggravated battery, premeditated murder, attempted murder, premeditated kidnapping, and kidnapping. I think the evidence is strong enough that she will be found guilty."

Heads turned to see how Rapunzel would respond to this. She didn't.

"No court date has been set yet, but I'll give you them when they're decided." The chief paused. "The state is intending to call you all in as witnesses."

That did not surprise anyone. They were all ready to; they wanted Donna Gothel behind bars for what she did to Eugene and Rapunzel.

"Thank you, Chief Gainey," said Mrs. King. She and Mr. King walked the chief out, thanking him again.

"Oh, hey," Max said, remembering something. He pulled his cell phone out and shoved it into Eugene's face. "Change my ringtone."

"But you love the Andrew Sisters," Eugene said sarcastically.

"Change. My. Ringtone."

"Oh, you're no fun." Eugene took the phone in his left hand and, still keeping his arm around Rapunzel (he really wasn't letting her go) he beeped through Max's phone with his right. "There."

"Thank you. What'd you pick?" Max clicked his phone and his new ring tone played.

_"My milkshakes bring all the boys to the yard!"_

Max turned it off and glared at Eugene.

"I hate you."

"I'll change it back if you want," said Eugene, grinning. Max handed the phone back defeated. It looked like he was just going to have to deal with _Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree_. "This is just what you get for buying a phone you don't know how to use," he said handing it back to his best friend.

"Yeah, shut up."

"You two make me jealous with how good of friends you are," Pascal joked. Everyone laughed.

Eugene winced because he'd laughed a little too hard.

"Are you okay?" everyone asked.

"Yeah, just can't breathe that deep." He relaxed when the pain subsided. "So," he said, trying to detour his earlier discomfort from everyone's minds, "you guys really haven't filled me in as to exactly what happened while I was out."

"Oh, Eugene," said Mr. Hook, "it's not that exciting." He shrugged.

"A little tears, a little quiet, a little worry," Raven said, blowing off each thing like it was nothing.

"Yeah," Jeff put in. "I mean, there was a lot of coffee and sitting. You know, the usual stuff."

"No heart to heart monologues or scandalous secrets being revealed in the hospital room, like in soap operas?"

"No," everyone laughed.

"Well, you all are a boring lot."

Again everyone laughed, but they could tell that Eugene was just trying to chase away their last little bits of worry by being silly.

Mr. and Mrs. King came back in.

"Geez, did it take that long to get rid of the caterpillar-stache chief?" Eugene asked his parents.

"No," said Nic, "we met Dr. Bracket out in the hall. He said he wanted to meet with us someday this week so we can prepare the penthouse for when you're released.

There was no elevator at Eugene and Rapunzel's apartment and he was being strictly ordered to be off of his leg for two weeks after his first surgery on it. He was going to be doing his first stages of recuperating at his parent's.

Eugene groaned.

"Ah, that's right."

"What, you don't want to be home with us for a few weeks?" asked Mrs. King, coming over to stroke her son's hair.

"You know that's not the problem, Mom. I'd just rather be home with Rapunzel." He glanced at her. She smiled privately too him.

"You know I'm moving in while you're there," she told him.

"Yeah, but I want us to be alone," Eugene sulked.

"Yeah, he wants to be all lovely-dovey with Rapunzel before they get married," Pascal grinned.

"And is that a problem."

"Health before love."

"Rapunzel, make them shut up," Eugene whined to her. She only smiled down at him again.

Rapunzel had barely said a word the whole visit. She was watching everyone; they all looked so much older, a glow was gone from their cheeks that had been there just weeks earlier. Mr. Hook's furrows in his forehead were deeper, Vlad's frown lines too. Mr. King's beard was grayer and Mrs. King's temples had a few fly away strands of white hair. Max was thinner in his face and poor Pascal had such dark bags under his eyes, they looked like bruises. Even Jeff and Raven looked older. They might have been smiling, but the worry had added at least five years to each of their faces. She wondered how old she looked.

"Don't worry," Isabelle said, patting Eugene. "We'll make ourselves scarce every now and then."

"Pfft, why bother, Eugene can't do anything in his state," laughed Pascal.

"You know what, Pascal, shut up!" Eugene upset his stomach again and tensed with the pain.

"Leave him alone, Pascal," Rapunzel chided, wrapping an arm around Eugene's shoulders as if to protect him. "If Eugene needs it, I'll take care of him." Rapunzel resisted the urge to smirk while every face went red in the room, including Eugene's. "What, you already know we do it." Rapunzel indicated to her stomach, where Eugene still had his hand over it.

"Well, that is true."

"Yeah, I guess."

Still, their faces stayed red for awhile.

There was a lot of catching up to do and everyone wanted to talk. After awhile, Eugene started to drift out of the conversations; then he started to yawn.

"Eugene, dear, if you're tired, we can leave."

"No, no, it's fi-ahn-ne. Stay as long as you wa-ah-ah-nt."

"Nope, you're tired. You still need rest," Max said. "You were shot five times."

"Gotta keep reminding me of that, don't 'cha?"

"You do need to be well rested, Eugene, especially if you're going into surgery in three days," Mr. Hook put in.

Eugene shuddered.

"Don't remind me."

They all said good-bye. Mrs. King kissed both Eugene and Rapunzel on the cheek and they all left. Before they all were out of ear shot, Eugene stopped Pascal.

"Hey, Pascal." He turned to look at Eugene. "Berliner."

Pascal almost looked like he was going to cry, he was so happy. He left quickly, mumbling a hurried good-bye. Eugene chuckled to himself.

Rapunzel turned to Eugene.

"You are such a faker."

"I didn't see you telling them I was," Eugene smirked at her.

"No." Rapunzel scooted out from under Eugene's arm and cuddle up next to his body. "I wanted to be alone with you too." Rapunzel was careful not to jostle or nudge any part of Eugene. He squeezed her as close as he could and rested his head on hers. She listened to his heart beat. It was there, like it had never ever stopped.

Eugene sighed.

"You know, I can just see everyone, standing around me, like I'm dead or something, or them sitting in chairs, all fretting and worrying about me. I can see it, and it terrifies me. It terrifies me that they were that scared." Rapunzel rubbed his chest in comfort.

"They all love you. But at least they could be by your side."

"Rapunzel," Eugene sounded annoyed, "we've been over this; I don't blame you. I saw those photos too. They were… pretty convincing."

"But they shouldn't have convinced me. I never should have gone with my aunt."

"Could have, should have, would have. It's all in the past. Both you and I are right where we're supposed to be."

"No, we're not. We should be at home, or at work, or in bed together enjoying the other's company."

"Rapunzel, at this point, I'm just thankful you're not dead. Now drop it. Beating the topic like a dead horse isn't going to change anything."

Rapunzel sighed. She trailed her finger in a circle over Eugene's chest.

"Eugene, do you know why I was in the middle of the street that day?"

He didn't reply right away, confused.

"Your shoe slipped off."

"No." Rapunzel took a breath. "I wanted to die." Eugene didn't say anything. "I was just so tired of everything. I saw the car and it all just seemed so easy."

"Actually, I figured that's what you were doing."

Rapunzel blinked, perplexed.

"What?" She sat up and looked down at Eugene.

"As soon as I looked at you, after yelling at the d-bag who was willing to run you down, I saw how scared you were in your eyes. You forget, Rapunzel, I've been in your shoes. I know what hopelessness looks like. Now come here." Eugene brought her back down to him. "Just don't over think things that have no bearing."

"But, Eugene, if I hadn't stopped in the street that day, you and I would have never met and none of this would have ever happened."

"Son of bit-" Now Eugene sounded irritated, borderline pissed. "Stop blaming yourself, damn-it. I love you. And, Rapunzel, do you really think that you and I would have never met you if you hadn't have stayed in the street that day? You really believe that?"

"Yes."

"Okay, counter argument; my parents went to the college, saw your art, liked it, asked you to make more paintings for their gallery. You show up, I'm there cause I always go to those things, we're introduced. Boom, we meet."

Rapunzel was silent for a spell.

"I never thought about it that way. But-"

"No fucking butts, Rapunzel. Damn it. We're here, right now, alive, happy, engaged, and soon to be parents. Why do you keep wanting that to have never happened?"

Rapunzel finally realized why Eugene was getting so upset.

She pushed herself up and grabbed his face and kissed him long and hard. His hand came up to cradle her neck. She pulled away, still holding his face.

"Eugene, I would never change a moment of my life with you." Tears started to form at the corners of Rapunzel's eyes. "I love you. I just wish you had never been hurt."

"I wish you'd never been hurt." Eugene took one of her wrists. "I can take a beating."

"And I can't?"

"Not while you're carrying my baby." His hand moved to her stomach. "That would have been the worst, to come out of this and have-" Eugene's voice caught in the back of his throat. Rapunzel kissed him again.

"The doctor said we'll hear a heart beat in a few more weeks."

"Wow. That, like, makes it official, doesn't it?"

"You mean I'm not pregnant until there's a heart beat?"

"No," Eugene flustered. "But then, that's, like, you know, when you start to see the shape of a little person, right?"

"Just stop talking, Eugene," Rapunzel said, leaning in for another kiss.

"Mkay," Eugene mumbled.

When they pulled apart, Rapunzel settled back down beside him. For a long time, they said nothing.

"You know, Rapunzel," Eugene said, and he sounded like he was falling asleep, "there are some days when I think the two of us know each other in some alternative universe."

"What?"

"Stay with me on this. Maybe you and I are different people, with different names, maybe not." Eugene chuckled. "Maybe you're a princess and I'm still a thief and maybe the Kings are your parents and maybe Pascal and Max are animals and everyone else we know are other people. But whatever universal randomocity-"

"That's not a word."

"Randomocity brought us together, it was meant to happen, whatever world or timeline we're in. And I like the odds the universe has given us."

"That's some deep Whovian philosophical mumbo jumbo there, Eugene," Rapunzel said sarcastically, to hide how touched she was. "Are these your painkillers talking?"

"No, I'm being completely serious."

"Well then," Rapunzel placed a kiss over Eugene's heart, "I like our odds too."

Rapunzel looked over at the clock on the wall. It said 5:32.

"Shoot, is that really the time? I need to get home."

"No, stay." Eugene held her down and slipped a hand under her shirt. She moaned in response, but thought better of the moment. She lightly punched Eugene's good arm.

"Injured people should rest."

"Oh, so cruel. At least give me something to remember you by."

As Rapunzel stood, she sighed. She looked back at the door and saw that all windows had the blinds shut. She pulled up her shirt and bra quickly.

"Wow, Rapunzel, when did your boobs get so big?"

She put her shirt down, her face bright red.

"I'm pregnant, remember?" Rapunzel sighed as she resituated her bra. "And Raven says they're only going to get bigger."

"Really?"

"Why do you sound so eager?"

"No reason," Eugene said with a nervous laugh.

"Whatever."

"So, what are you going to do for the two weeks before we move in with my parents?"

"I don't know. Clean the apartment, God knows it's probably dusty as hell. Clear out the spare room for the baby."

"You better make the guys do that. You're not lifting anything in your condition."

Rapunzel glared at him.

"Raven wants to take me maternity clothes shopping. And your mom had insisted on buying everything for the baby. She's seen the size of the apartment, right?"

"Eh… yeah… I'll talk to her."

"And I've got to work to go to. All in all, I think I'll be fine without you." Rapunzel leaned in close. "But I'll still miss you."

"You'll visit every day, right?"

"I was planning to." They kissed.

Eugene took Rapunzel's hand gently.

"When you're out shopping, make sure to look for a wedding dress. As soon as I get out of here and I'm on crutches, you and I are getting married. Got that?"

"Eugene, you do realize that in the next four weeks I'm going to be nearly three months pregnant, right? I'll be showing and anything I buy now won't fit."

"Then keep your eyes peeled for something nice. But I'm serious, we're getting married before the baby's born, and I'm going to be standing when we do."

Rapunzel smiled and kissed her fiancé again.

"I know you will be. I love you."

"I love you more."

"I love you most." They squeezed each other's hands and Rapunzel left, smiling.

And as Rapunzel left, she thought about her last seven months with Eugene and how much her life had changed in just half a year. And by next spring, she and Eugene were going to be parents. It was like a perfect fairytale ending, but it was only the beginning to a happily ever after.

So the princess had been rescued, the witch defeated, and happy voices filled her life, a sound she had not heard since before her first imprisonment by the witch. The prince would recover and wedding planning was in progress for the lovers. They were destined to meet, perhaps unconventionally through trials of their own, but meet none-the-less they did. Though no dragons or giants had threatened them, they had overcome just as trying obstacles to reach their happily ever after.

And they did live happily ever after.

The End

But hark; what of the life that stirred in the princess' womb?

**Stay tuned for an epilogue, ya'all!**


	33. Chapter 33

**And this is the end. What can I say, except, thank you so much for reading. Even though this was a fan-fiction, I feel all your comments of love, pain, and mild resentment have helped me in more ways than one in my career choice as a professional author. You've made my path in life a little straighter. Thank you, so much, from the bottom of my heart.**

Epilogue – Double Luck

Eight months later.

Rapunzel stirred. Her eyes blinked open and she moaned. She hadn't meant to fall asleep. God, she was all stiff and achy. She moaned again and turned on her back, her round belly coming up with her.

"Mm, did you enjoy the nap?" she asked rubbing her tummy.

"More than likely."

Rapunzel turned her head and saw Eugene standing in the doorway with a plate in his hands. He wasn't wearing a shirt and Rapunzel saw four of the five scars from the gunshots. The scar tissue spread out like a spider's web, a horrible, discolored reminder.

Eugene limped into the room.

He'd just had the seventh and final surgery on his leg two months ago. It was healing nicely, the doctors said. It was his shoulder that was taking the longest to heal. After surgery number three, Eugene got an infection and he had gotten really sick. Thankfully, he recovered, but the doctors were going to wait another month before the fourth surgery. He should have had it back in February, but they didn't want to take a chance.

As Eugene sat down on the bed, Rapunzel turned on her side to face her husband.

That word still sent tingles down her spine.

They were married September eighteenth. It had been a simple ceremony. The wedding and reception were both at the Kings' penthouse. It was just them, the close little group of family and friends. Max was Eugene's best man and Raven was Rapunzel's maid of honor. An ordained minister married them on the roof of the penthouse, by the pool, overlooking the cityscape of New Sonnenburg, with the ocean just barely visible on the horizon.

Rapunzel's mind kept going back to that day. She'd never been so happy before in all her life. It was magical to her, and to Eugene as well. She had not had an aisle to walk down, but walking out of the elevator on the arm of Mr. King was just as good. Eugene was standing in the shade of the pool awning, and as soon as he saw Rapunzel, his knees knocked together. He was on crutches, so they kept him from falling over, but it was so apparent that he'd been struck by her beauty. Rapunzel loved his dumbstruck expression; it was her most favorite memory from her wedding.

Eugene leaned down to her on the bed and kissed her.

"So, the fair princess rises?"

"Mm, how long was I asleep?"

"Two hours maybe."

"Geez, I didn't mean to take a nap."

"Eh, you probably needed one; the due date is any day now."

"Yeah. What time is it?"

"A little after six."

It was March thirteenth and like the year before, it was raining outside. Fat drops of water pelted the windows. It might have been the droll of the rain that had lulled Rapunzel to sleep.

She saw the plate that Eugene had brought in.

"What's that?"

"Your dinner," he said simply. "Peanut butter with pickles and sauer kraut."

Rapunzel tried to sit up, but quite couldn't do it. Eugene kneeled on the bed and pulled her up. She crossed her legs.

"What makes you think I want that for dinner?"

"Because," Eugene said as he sat down, "you've been asking for it for the last three weeks."

"Mm, never assume anything with a pregnant woman." Rapunzel leaned into Eugene's face. "I feel like spaghetti."

He sighed, exasperated.

"Of course you would want something normal."

"With sauer kraut."

"Something normal-ish," Eugene corrected himself. "I always thought you said you'd never eat sauer kraut. Now it seems to be all you eat."

"Eh, it's the pregnant hormones." Rapunzel put her hand on the top of her full tummy. "Ugh, I wish I was in labor already."

"You won't be saying that when you are," Eugene grinned, putting a hand over hers on her belly.

"But I'm so tired of being pregnant," Rapunzel whined. "I feel fat, my legs hurt, my ankles hurt, my boobs hurt, and I can't take anything even for a headache. I'm just so done," Rapunzel moaned.

Eugene kissed her gently.

"Any day now, Rapunzel." He stroked her face and Rapunzel closed her eyes at his loving touch. "But you know," Eugene said, and his voice had changed, "sex has been known to induce labor." His hands went inside her shirt to caress her.

Rapunzel mewled.

"Mm, Eugene, I just said my breasts hurt."

"But aren't I gentle?"

Rapunzel had taken to wearing no bra, unless she went out, because they squished her chest too much. She'd gone up three cups and was not used to the uncomfortable awkwardness of large breasts. Still, even though she was tender, she still reacted to Eugene's touch. She almost fell into him, ready to submit to desire, but her stomach had other ideas.

_Gurrrrummmbbbllleee_.

Both Eugene and Rapunzel looked down at her belly. Eugene sighed.

"I suppose edible substance is more important than desirable substance. Do we even have spaghetti in the apartment?" Eugene asked as he got up to leave the bedroom.

Rapunzel hauled herself off the bed and followed him into the kitchen.

"I don't know, but I could also go for shrimp fried rice and pot stickers and pizza and a whole chocolate cake."

"A chocolate cake? Are you trying to put yourself in a sugar coma? And then you complain about being fat."

Rapunzel playfully slapped his back. He laughed it off and turned into the kitchen. As he went, Rapunzel saw the scar from the exit wound on his lower back. She put her hand on it, just to cover it up.

"Rapunzel?" Eugene cocked his head back around at her. She looked up at him. She opened his arms and hugged him close to her. She pressed a kiss to the scar above his heart.

"I wish there was some way I could make these disappear forever. I hate them."

Eugene wrapped his arms around her.

"I know, but there's not much to be done, is there."

"I guess."

"Come on," Eugene released her. "I know what will cheer you up; food." He limped into the kitchen. "If we don't have what you want, want to go out?"

"Not really," Rapunzel said, sitting down at the dining table. She still felt so tired and now her stomach was starting to hurt. "I look absolutely terrible today."

"You look beautiful."

"You have to say that, you're my husband."

"Happy wife, happy life."

Rapunzel shook her head at his quip. She frowned at the pain in her midsection and put a hand on her belly as she felt the life inside stretch.

"Yeah," she said to her child, "you want out too, don't you?" She sighed and was suddenly uncomfortable, sitting in a puddle of fluids. "Oh, shit." The contractions stared up; that's what that had been. They weren't painful, yet, just annoying. "Uh, Eugene."

"Yeah?"

"Go get the car keys."

"Why? You change your mind out eating out?" He walked out of the kitchen and saw her gripping the edge of the table and shushing out quick breaths.

"Because it's time," she breathed out.

Eugene stood at attention.

"Seriously?" His voice cracked ever so slightly. "Okay, okay, we're, we're going to be calm about this, okay? Completely calm." He didn't sound calm. "What do I do first? What do I do first? Get your bag, right." He ran into the bedroom, tripping over a laundry basket. He came back out, a shirt half thrown on with an overnight sack and a pair of Rapunzel's shoes in his hands. He slipped the shoes on her feet and helped her up. "Then I get the car keys, right?"

"Yes," Rapunzel squeaked out.

"Right, can't go anywhere." He scooped the keys off the dining table and opening the door, pulled Rapunzel's purse off its hook on the wall and shut the door.

Rapunzel stared at it, waiting for Eugene to realize he was missing something. It only took a few seconds.

He opened the door, now sounding even more panicked.

"Wife! I forgot my wife." He put a hand on her back and helped her out.

"And to think, you're going to be a father in the next twenty four hours."

It was a Thursday night and for some reason, everyone and their uncle was out to hit the bars, clubs, and other hot spots in New Sonnenburg. Eugene and Rapunzel got stuck in all sorts of traffic, and every red light was out to get them.

"I don't believe this. The hospital is ten minutes away from us and we've been on the road for nearly half an hour," Eugene said, honking at the line of cars in front of him.

"Keep in mind, honey," Rapunzel said, trying to take her mind off the contractions, "you took a wrong turn."

"I told you, it was a short cut!"

"Honey, calm down." She patted his leg. "The contractions aren't even that close together yet."

"I am calm, babe. I don't know why you keep telling me to calm down. I'm completely calm and, WILL YOU MOVE YOUR FUCKING ASS!" Eugene pressed his hand to the horn.

Rapunzel sighed and looked out the window. She was going to leave Eugene to his own devices. At least the contractions weren't too painful.

They arrived at the hospital with a very agitated Eugene and an annoyed Rapunzel. Between a red light and the entrance to St. Augustine's the contractions had suddenly decided to be closer together and Rapunzel was breathing through the pain, Eugene coaching her the whole way.

"Just breathe, okay? Just breathe." They walked up to the reception desk. "My labor is in wife, I mean my wife is in labor." The nurse barely looked at him.

"Okay." She motioned for one of the other nurses to get a wheel chair. "And what is your name?"

"Didn't you just hear me? My wife is in labor."

"And we're seeing to it." The other nurse brought the wheel chair behind Rapunzel. She sat down, grateful to be off her feet.

"Now, sir, you need to fill out some paper work while we get your wife comfortable."

"You're taking her away from me?"

"Eugene, just do what the lady says," Rapunzel huffed out. The waves of pain were becoming sharper.

"Okay, sweetie, just breathe, okay, breathe, breathe."

"Eugene, I swear to God, if you tell me to breathe one more time, I will punch you in the face!" His voice was so irritating.

"Okay, not gonna talk anymore."

The nurse began to wheel Rapunzel away.

"As soon as you fill this out," Eugene was handed a clipboard full of paperwork, "you can go be with your wife." He stared at the sheets of paper.

"What is all this?"

"Eugene," called Rapunzel who was already down the hall, "make sure you call your parents."

"Parents? Oh, right, yes." Eugene still stared at the paperwork. "None of this makes sense."

It was eight thirty six A.M., March fourteenth and everyone watched Mrs. King as she paced the waiting room floor, threatening to wear a trench in the linoleum.

"Oh, this is agonizing! I can't stand not being in there with my son and daughter."

"Dear, why don't you just sit down?" Nic reached for her hand.

"I'm too nervous to sit. And that isn't helping." She pointed a finger up at the TV. It was the local news, covering the case of Donna Gothel.

"The jury is still out as of this moment as to whether they find Donna Gothel guilty for the attempted murder of Eugene Fitzherbert and the kidnapping of Rapunzel Moore, as well as other charges."

No one really wanted to hear the story, but they listened anyway. They really couldn't help it.

"Last August, on the night of the fifth, Gothel entered Music's Dream Music store and shot Fitzherbert five times. Fitzherbert is the foster child of Nicolas and Isabelle King of Corona Enterprises. You may remember this statement they made the day after their son's shooting." The screen flicked to the nearly year old footage of the Kings.

'"We want to know why the man we love, why the boy we call our son, was shot five times. Why did his attacker find it necessary to maliciously hurt him in this manner? Though we cannot hate the person who did this, we want them to do what's right and turn themselves in.'"

The anchorman came back on. "Later, the Kings stated they felt no pity for Gothel. Three days after Fitzherbert had been shot, Rapunzel Moore, Fitzherbert fiancé at the time, was found in Porter, a town outside of New Sonnenburg, after being kidnapped by her aunt. At the time, Moore was pregnant and the police put many hours and man power in to find her."

The camera switched to a newswoman.

"When they appeared in court for the first time, the family did not want to be interviewed." Again different footage came up. Eugene was in a wheel chair being pushed by his mother, Rapunzel walking right beside him, her face still slightly bruised. Mr. King was fending off the camera men and reporters, as were a few of his company body guards.

"In the court room, the witnesses were calm and collected, recounting the events of the ordeal." Video of Eugene on the stand appeared. The DA was questioning him.

"Did you think she was going to harm you the night she entered your place of work?"

"No. She said she just wanted to talk," Eugene answered, not showing any emotion. His eyes kept breaking from the pacing lawyer to look off screen. Only the assembled watching the TV knew he was looking at Rapunzel.

"Did you think she was going to harm Miss Moore?"

"She said she wanted to talk."

"Answer the question," said the judge.

"No."

"But the defendant has a history of being violent with her niece, doesn't she?"

Eugene took a sharp intake of breath.

"She only hit her once before and she was high at the time."

The reporters came back on, sitting at their studio desk.

"When Moore took the stand, she surprisingly remained placid and unemotional, considering the familial bond with the defendant."

Rapunzel sitting at the stand came up. Even with the little wood wall of the stand in front of her, one could tell she was quite a few months along. This time, it was Donna's lawyer who was asking the questions.

"And you believed the photos?"

"Yes."

"Might I inquire as to why?"

"They were very convincing." She was deadpan in her answer.

"It was not your hormones changing due to being pregnant, or were these doubts already in your head."

"Objection!"

"I withdraw the question. Nothing further."

The anchors flipped back on, to continue with the recap of the last eight months.

"Geez, the court footage is like watching an episode of _Perry Mason_," Pascal said.

"Except, Perry is the DA and Burger is council," Max replied.

"These stories just infuriate me," Isabelle said. "Showing all that old footage, the crime scene, the in depth stories, the court room. I swear, if I get one more call from Dateline or 60 Minutes, we are buying every news station and destroying all the footage," she said to her husband. He only shrugged.

"I agree with you, Isabelle," Mr. Hook said. "All this plastered over the news, I just keep seeing that night in my head, and I rather not remember." Vlad patted his old friend's back.

"They're going to make their decision today," Jeff said, his arm around Raven's shoulders. "The jury. Kind of weird that Rapunzel would go into labor the same day."

"Yeah, it's like, today is the official end of all this," Raven said.

The assembled could not help but notice that Raven was starting to show. She herself was pregnant now, about three months in. They thought about making mention, but there would be a different time for that.

"And in an act that shocked everyone," the TV continued, "Gothel herself took the stand. Her testimony coincides with council's claim of self-defense in shooting Fitzherbert."

Once again, footage came up of a primped Donna in a muted red two piece woman's suit. She was dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.

"I really did try to be a guardian to her in the beginning, but I was distraught; I'd just lost my sister and I was scared of the responsibilities of motherhood. But that night, when I went to the music store, I told Eugene I just wanted to talk, I wanted to know how my niece was, but he became angry and was yelling, threatening me. Before I knew it, my gun was out of my purse and it had gone off more times than I meant it to."

"Then how do you explain the fact that forensic evidence shows you shot my son in the leg while he was on his back?" Mrs. King yelled at the television. "This, this right here is what infuriates me. That woman lied on the stand, under God, and probably because of that, that's why the jury is taking so long, because her lawyer just had to bring up Eugene's juvenile record. As if that matters; the records were sealed. Isn't it enough for Eugene to say 'she shot me' and Rapunzel say 'she kidnapped me and beat me?' I swear."

"Dear, don't get mad."

"I'm not mad." She took a deep breath. "I'm just… irritated. I want all this to finally be done with." Mr. King stood and finally managed to pull his wife into his arms and got her to sit down.

"Geez," Raven said, "it sure is taking forever. Poor Rapunzel has been labor for the last fourteen hours. They never mentioned any potential complications, did they," she inquired to the Kings.

"No," said Mr. King. "Actually, the two of them haven't told us much about the pregnancy. They'd return from the doctor and just say everything is fine."

"You don't know anything, do you?" Raven turned to Max and Pascal.

"Nope."

"Rapunzel hasn't said much to me," Pascal said. "She complains a lot, but nothing else."

Hm, that was odd. No one had really realized until now that neither Eugene nor Rapunzel had mentioned anything about the baby to any of them. They didn't even know the gender of the child.

"I'm sure everything is fine," Mrs. King said.

"After the final day in court, Fitzherbert and Moore, who are now married, gave a statement." The TV just wouldn't shut up and Eugene and Rapunzel appeared on the screen. The footage was from a few days ago and Rapunzel had a hand over her stomach. Eugene had his arm around her shoulders and they were standing under an umbrella.

"Whatever the jury's decision is, my wife and I are not going to let it control our lives. Though, we obviously are not going to forgive Donna-"

"We wish that she can find peace with herself," Rapunzel cut Eugene off. "We sincerely hope that she will find happiness in her own time."

The reporters tried to get more out of them, but Eugene led Rapunzel away from them.

"God, Rapunzel looked huge," Pascal said.

"That's not very nice," Max tut-tutted him.

"Well, she did and you know she would say it herself."

No one could argue that.

"I'm really starting to worry," Mrs. King said as she checked her wrist watch. "It's almost nine and still no word. You'd think Eugene would at least text us or something."

Suddenly, a doctor and nurse in scrubs walked in. Both were smiling.

"Are you all here for Rapunzel Fitzherbert?"

They all stood.

"Yes."

"Well, we're very happy to say that mom and babies are doing fine."

"Oh what a relief." Cheers and laughter went around as did hugs and a little bit of tears. Then the doctor's words sank in deeper.

"Wait, babies?" Mr. King asked.

"Oh, yes. Mrs. Fitzherbert had twins."

"T-twins?" stuttered more than one.

"I knew she was too big to be having just one kid," Raven said to Jeff.

"Uh-huh. A boy and a girl. You can see them as soon as dad is bandaged up.

"Wait, what happened to Eugene?" Mrs. King asked, panicked.

"He didn't faint and bang his head, did he?" Max inquired jokingly, grinning.

"No. Mom broke his hand." They all refrained form letting their jaws drop.

"It happens more times than you think," the nurse put in. "We'll come get you when they're ready."

The nurse and doctor left, leaving the happy friends and family to rejoice in their own way. Except, all they could think about was Eugene's broken hand.

"Pascal, did you know Rapunzel had that sort of strength?"

"No." He was sincerely shocked, even through his amusement at Rapunzel breaking Eugene's hand.

"Well," Vlad said, "remind me to never make that girl mad."

They all nodded their heads in agreement.

Rapunzel sat on the hospital bed spent, sweaty, and very, very tired. Her abdomen still ached from the contractions and her hips hurt even worse. But more than anything, she was embarrassed. She looked over at Eugene, who was sitting in a seat, getting his hand put in a cast. He was grinning at her.

"Don't you dare say that you're sorry," he told her.

"But I am. I broke your hand."

"But now it matches the other one. Besides, I like strong women."

"Well, how about next time," the doctor said who was seeing to Eugene, "you don't tell her to squeeze how much it hurts. There you go." The doctor finished. "Just don't let her do it again."

"Right."

"I'll see if the other doctors are finished examining your children." The doctor left.

Eugene walked over the Rapunzel, dragging his chair to sit back down in.

"Wow, _our_ children. I can hardly believe it." He placed a kiss on her clammy cheek. "And how are feeling?"

"I hurt. I feel like two semis went and stretched my hips."

"Wow, I didn't need that mental image." Eugene picked up the wet cloth that had been used to dab Rapunzel's face during the delivery. He wiped away the rest of her labor.

"Sorry, but it's true."

"Mm, I'm sorry to have put you through all that," Eugene said quietly, stroking her face.

"But I'm happy. I finally got to meet them."

"Heh, them. You know we're going to be chastised for not telling them about the twins."

"Oh, I think we can deal." Rapunzel was mumbling her words. She hadn't slept in nearly a day _and_ she'd just brought two new lives into the world. She deserved a good rest.

Eugene saw her eyes drooping.

"You know, you can go to sleep."

"No," she said sternly. "One or both of those babies is going to be put in my arms before I go to sleep. Besides, we have everyone who wants to say hi and see the new additions to our little family."

"It's not so little anymore."

"Oh, right. Your parent's announcement."

"Yep."

Just then, two nurses wheeled in little carts. One had pink blankets, the other had blue.

"Here, they are," sang one of the nurses. "All wrapped up and ready to be loved." Eugene bobbed over to them.

"Oh, my God, they're so small." He grinned like a child at Christmas. "Can I hold them?"

"Well, you're the father, aren't you?" The nurse gently picked up Eugene's daughter and put her in his outstretched arms. She mewed at being moved, but settled against her father's chest.

"Hey," he whispered to her.

The other nurse brought their son to Rapunzel and laid him in her arms. She barely had the strength to hold him, but seeing him seemed to shake off some of her tiredness.

"Hey, you."

The nurses left, only to let Mr. and Mrs. King, Jeff, Raven, Max, Pascal, Vlad, and Mr. Hook file in.

"I hear daddy got hurt," Max said teasingly.

"Worth it." Eugene presented his little daughter. Everyone cooed.

"Ooh, can I hold one." Mrs. King intended to take her granddaughter. Eugene recoiled from her hands.

"Uh-uh. I'm not letting go of her. Ever."

"Oh, Eugene," Rapunzel scoffed. "Here, Isabelle." Rapunzel offered her son to her mother-in-law. Mrs. King took him, smiling.

"Hello, little one. I'm you grandmother." He yawned at this fascinating information. "Oh, yes, yawn. You've had a big day." She looked up at Eugene. "Care to explain why you never informed any of us that you two were having twins?"

"That was Rapunzel's idea."

"Guilty. I wanted to surprise you all."

"Oh, we were surprised," Mr. Hook said.

"How long did you know?" asked Jeff. Rapunzel looked up at her husband.

"Uh… three months?"

"Um… I thought it was two abouts."

"I can't remember."

"It was when we heard the heartbeat."

"Because there were two, instead of one. It was really hard keeping it a secret, though," Rapunzel grinned.

"Well, you did a very good job of it," Raven said, looking for a place to sit down.

"So what are their names?" Pascal asked coming up to peer over Eugene's shoulder at the baby girl.

"May we introduce Flynn Maximus Fitzherbert," Eugene said.

"And Celeste Raven Fitzherbert," Rapunzel said.

Everyone turned to look at Max and Raven. They looked shell shocked.

"You…named them after us?"

"Their middle names are ours?"

"Why not," Rapunzel started.

"They way we see it," Eugene cut in, sitting down on the edge of the bed by Rapunzel, "if it hadn't been for you two, the four of us might not be here right now."

"But, we didn't-" For once, Raven was nearly speechless. "Mr. Hook's the one who found you."

"And I was just doing my job," Max put in.

"Will you two just shut up and accept the honor," Rapunzel said, laughing lightly.

"Raven, it was your blood that kept me from just outright dying." Jeff patted her back as she smiled back tears of joy. "And, Max, of course I'm going to name my son after my best friend, and you also brought my wife back to me. I can't think of a better way to thank you than this." Eugene took Rapunzel's hand and smiled at Max and Raven. Rapunzel smiled at them too.

"T-thank you." Raven mumbled.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Oh, look, they're blushing," Pascal said.

"Shut up!" said the two blushing namesakes. The others laughed.

"Well, Flynn and Celeste, grandpa and grandma are going to spoil you," Isabelle said to little Flynn.

"What about the other kids?" Eugene asked. "You going to spoil them too?" Mr. and Mrs. King looked up from admiring their grandson.

"What other kids," Mr. Hook asked.

"Oh, well, it's your day, Eugene and Rapunzel. We didn't want to…"

"Oh, come on, Dad, just spill the beans. Mom's probably about ready to burst with excitement, right?"

"Oh, alright." Mr. King pulled out his wallet and produced a picture. He showed it to the others. "Isabelle and I are adopting again." They all looked at the photograph. Four little girls, ranging from maybe ten to five, all with braided red hair, grinned for the camera. They were dressed similarly, in yellow button shirts and purple floral print skirts.

"They're sisters," Isabelle said. "Their parents died just last year and because they are siblings, no one wants to adopt that many."

"They're so adorable," Raven said.

"They are pretty cute," Vlad agreed.

"When do you get them?" asked Pascal

"Next week," Mrs. King said delightedly. "We already told them that they're going to have a big brother and sister and that they're going to be aunts. They're so excited."

"Your family just keeps growing, doesn't it, Mrs. King," said Max. She only smiled in response.

Mr. King's phone suddenly began to ring. Flynn didn't like the annoying noise and quietly began to cry. Mrs. King rocked him in her arms, shushing lightly to him. Mr. King pulled his phone out.

"Who is it, dear?"

"I have no idea." He answered without looking at the ID. "Hello? Oh, hello. Oh, they are. Well, we can't come. We're at the hospital right now. No, nothing serious happened. My daughter-in-law just had her twins. Yes, I said twins. Well, thank you. Yes, everyone is here. Alright, thank you." He pulled his phone away from his ear and hung up.

"Who was it, Dad?"

"The DA. The jury's back."

"Oh," said everyone.

Rapunzel fished by her bedside table for the TV remote. She clicked it on and everyone turned as Rapunzel switched to the local news.

"We are live at the court house as we are being told that the jury is back with their verdict on Donna Gothel's charges. We go inside now." The TV jumped to the inside of the courtroom. People were filing in. Donna was sitting with her defense lawyer in a gray lady's suit. The judge sat down and addressed the jury.

"Speaker of the jury, what is your verdict?"

A single woman stood up.

"We the jury, find Donna Gothel, on the count of premeditated murder, not guilty."

"WHAT?" shouted Max, Pascal, Vlad, Mr. Hook, Mrs. King and everyone else except for Eugene and Rapunzel. Eugene squeezed his wife's hand.

The woman continued.

"On the count of attempted murder, we find the defendant, guilty."

"YES!"

Eugene glanced down at Rapunzel. She looked up at him and smiled half-heartedly.

"On the count of premeditated kidnapping, not guilty. On the count of kidnapping, not guilty."

"Are you serious?" Pascal shouted at the TV.

"On the count of aggravated battery in the first degree, we find the defendant, Donna Gothel, guilty."

"Donna Gothel," said the judge," you have been found guilty on one count of attempted murder in the first degree and one count of aggravated battery in the first degree. Your sentencing date will be March twenty-eighth. Court is adjourned." The judge banged his gavel and left his stand. The camera shifted to watch Donna Gothel be put in hand cuffs and led off by the bailiff.

"We have just learned that Donna Gothel was found guilty for two of her five counts of-"

Rapunzel turned the TV off. Everyone looked at her, concerned.

"What? We all knew she was going to go to jail," she told them.

"But she wasn't found guilty on all charges," Pascal said.

"But she was still found guilty. May I have Flynn, Isabelle?" Flynn was handed back to his mother.

"But, she is guilty for the other things," Max said.

"Technically, she didn't kidnap me." Rapunzel was only looking at Flynn as she spoke. "I went with her voluntarily. The police should have charged her with holing one against their will."

"Rapunzel," Raven started.

"Guys," Eugene said, sounding stern for the first time. "She's still going to jail. We can be content with that at least, right?"

They all looked at Rapunzel.

"Yeah."

"I guess so."

"I suppose she'll still have time to think about what she's done."

"She won't be coming back around again."

They all grew quiet.

Rapunzel's head began to lull to one said and her eyes drooped. Eugene handed Celeste to his mother and took Flynn out of his wife's arms.

"Okay, everyone. I'd hate to tell you to get out, but Mom's really tired and you all have your days to start.

"Oh, alright." Everyone came up to hug Rapunzel and give her a kiss. Eugene put his son and daughter in their cart cribs and kissed his parents good-bye.

"We'll be back later dear."

"Mkay. See you later."

They waved goodbye and left. Eugene wheeled his children over to where he was sitting and sat down next to Rapunzel. He took her hand.

"How are you doing?"

"Are you asking about the delivery, or the verdict?"

"Both, I guess."

"I'm just tired. As for my aunt…" she trailed off. "I'm glad she wasn't found guilty on all counts. She's still my aunt. And Eugene, I think, at least I want to think, that she really did want to love me. I was just tossed into her life and she didn't know how to cope. I mean, she always said she should have dumped me in foster care, but she never did. Why?" Rapunzel was mumbling and mashing most of her words together and Eugene had to lean in close to understand her. "She really did try… why else would she have shot you and lied to get me to go with her? She had no other way she could think of…" Eugene kissed her temple.

"Shush, go to sleep. It's been a long day."

"It's morning."

"Good-night."

"I don't want to leave Flynn and Celeste."

"You won't. They'll be here when you wake up."

"Will you be here?"

"I'll always be here." Eugene kissed her again. "Go to sleep."

"I want a lullaby," Rapunzel mumbled as she turned over.

"Alright." Eugene began to hum.

"Actually sing it." Rapunzel sounded like she was already asleep. Eugene chuckled.

"Flower gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine."

Rapunzel drifted off to Eugene's singing, her heart beating slowly with the ecstasy of life. She'd found her dream and she was living happily ever after.


End file.
